Why do Brits call vacation a holiday?

According to Merriam-Webster, vacation has its roots in the Latin word vacare, meaning “to be empty” or “free from.” Holiday, on the other hand can be traced back to the Old English haligdæg, meaning “holy day.” This difference in meaning may influence how the words are used by the different people.



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The use of the term holiday instead of vacation is a long-standing tradition in Europe that dates back hundreds of years. In ancient times, the holiday season was a time when people could take a break from their daily lives and enjoy time with family, travel, and leisure activities.

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Vacation and holiday are two words that are widely used interchangeably to denote time away from work or education. A vacation is a period of time spent away from work for rest, relaxation, or travel, while a holiday is a specific day or period of time designated as a public or religious celebration.

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'Lass' or 'lassie' is another word for 'girl'. This is mainly in the north of England and Scotland. 'Lad' is another word for boy. 'Bloke' or 'chap' means 'man'.

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In the US and most of Canada the term 'vacation' means taking earned time off from work to take a trip. In the UK, Australia, and most other English-speaking countries, people say 'holiday' to describe a going away from home for a period of leisure.

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There are hundreds of everyday words that are different. For example, Brits call the front of a car the bonnet, while Americans call it the hood. Americans go on vacation, while Brits go on holidays, or hols.

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Holiday: Canadians use the term “holiday” interchangeably with “vacation.” E.g., “When are you taking your holiday this year?” “I think I might go on holiday in July.”

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