Definition of 'lent'
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
uncountable noun
Lent is the period of forty days before Easter, during which some Christians give up something that they enjoy.
COBUILD Advanced English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Video: pronunciation of
lent
Word Frequency
lent in British English
verb
the past tense and past participle of lend
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word Frequency
Lent in British English
noun
1. Christianity
Collins English Dictionary. Copyright © HarperCollins Publishers
Word origin
Old English lencten, lengten spring, literally: lengthening (of hours of daylight)
Word Frequency
Lent in American English
noun
1.
the period of forty weekdays from Ash Wednesday to Easter, observed variously in
Christian churches by fasting and penitence
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word origin
ME lenten < OE lengten, the spring < Gmc *langat-tin < base of long1 + *tina-, day < IE base *dei-, to shine > L dies, day: from the lengthening of the days in the spring; akin to Ger lenz, spring
Word Frequency
lent in American English
verb transitive, verb intransitive
pt. & pp. of
Webster’s New World College Dictionary, 4th Edition. Copyright © 2010 by
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. All rights reserved.
Word Frequency
-lent in American English
suffix
Most material © 2005, 1997, 1991 by Penguin Random House LLC. Modified entries © 2019
by Penguin Random House LLC and HarperCollins Publishers Ltd
Examples of 'lent' in a sentence
lent
These examples have been automatically selected and may contain sensitive content. Read more…
Word lists with
lent
Religious festivalsQuick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
Which religious festival am I?
Sept 29, the feast of St Michael the archangel; in England, Ireland, and Wales, one of the four quarter days
Which religious festival am I?
the Thursday before Easter observed as a commemoration of the Last Supper
Which religious festival am I?
an annual Muslim festival marking the end of Ramadan, involving the exchange of gifts and a festive meal
Which religious festival am I?
an eight-day Jewish harvest festival beginning on Tishri 15, which commemorates the period when the Israelites lived in the wilderness
Which religious festival am I?
the last day of Shrovetide; Pancake Day
Your score:
Trends of
lent
View usage for:
In other languages
lent
British English: Lent
/lɛnt/ NOUN
Lent is the period of forty days before Easter, during which some Christians give up something that they enjoy.
It was a favourite meal on Fridays and fast days, particularly during Lent.
- American English: Lent /ˈlɛnt/
- Arabic: الصَوْمُ الكَبِيرُ
- Brazilian Portuguese: quaresma
- Chinese: 大斋节
- Croatian: korizma
- Czech: půst před velikonocemi
- Danish: faste
- Dutch: Vasten
- European Spanish: Cuaresma
- Finnish: paastonaika
- French: Carême
- German: Fastenzeit
- Greek: Μεγάλη Σαρακοστή
- Italian: Quaresima
- Japanese: 四旬節
- Korean: 사순절
- Norwegian: faste
- Polish: Wielki Post
- European Portuguese: Quaresma
- Romanian: postul Paștelui
- Russian: Великий пост
- Latin American Spanish: Cuaresma
- Swedish: fastan
- Thai: ฤดูถือศีลอดก่อนวันอีสเตอร์ของชาวคริสต์ (เป็นเวลา 40 วัน)
- Turkish: 40 günlük Paskalya dönemi
- Ukrainian: піст
- Vietnamese: Tuần ăn chay
Browse alphabetically
lent
Source
Definition of lent from the Collins English Dictionary
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
bail or bale?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
bale
bail
There was only one of hay left.
driven or drove?
Which version is correct?
grate or great?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
Grate
Great
250g of cheddar and add to the sauce.
boy or buoy?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
buoy
boy
We moored the boat to an orange .
dew or due?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
due
dew
The results are at the end of the month.
Your score:
Latest Word Submissions
A little bird told me… 7 animal idioms
It’s new words time at Collins Dictionary and this month we see the addition of words like fingerling, net zero and emotional support animal. This month, there were a few animal-related additions.
Read more
9 new words added to Collins Dictionary
Here are nine words recently added to Collins English Dictionary online. The words we use reflect the preoccupations of our time, and with the possibility of holidays and travel returning to the agenda, the dictionary welcomes ‘capsule hotel’, ‘tourist tax’, and the American informal shortening ‘vacay’ (from ‘vacation’).
Read more
New Conversations Day
The twelfth of July marks New Conversations Day. If you haven’t heard of it, don’t fret or feel afflicted by FOMO, for this is the first such day – ever.
Read more
Collins English Dictionary Apps
Download our English Dictionary apps - available for both iOS and Android.
Read more
Collins Dictionaries for Schools
Our new online dictionaries for schools provide a safe and appropriate environment for children. And best of all it's ad free, so sign up now and start using at home or in the classroom.
Read more
Word lists
We have almost 200 lists of words from topics as varied as types of butterflies, jackets, currencies, vegetables and knots!
Amaze your friends with your new-found knowledge!
Read more
Join the Collins community
All the latest wordy news, linguistic insights, offers and competitions every month.
Read more
Quick word challenge
Quiz Review
Question: 1
-
Score: 0 / 5
chilli or chilly?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
chilly
chilli
It was a afternoon.
spoke or spoken?
Which version is correct?
pain or pane?
Which version is correct?
mail or male?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
male
mail
Most of the people in the audience were .
flea or flee?
Drag the correct answer into the box.
flea
flee
The disease spread from rats to humans by bites.
Your score: