Ember Days
Preserved but no longer current.
The Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of the four Ember Weeks, which were fixed by the Council of Placentia (1095), as those containing the first Sunday in Lent, Whit Sunday, Holy Cross Day (September 14th), and St. Lucia's Day (December 13th). The name is the M.E. ymber, from A.S. ymbren (i.e. ymb, about, ryne, running), a period or revolution.
Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)
Sources & notes
Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “Ember Days” mean?
The Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday of the four Ember Weeks, which were fixed by the Council of Placentia (1095), as those containing the first Sunday in Lent, Whit Sunday, Holy Cross Day (September 14th), and St. Lucia's Day (December 13th). The name is the M.E. ymber, from A.S. ymbren (i.e. ymb, about, ryne, running), a period or revolution.
Is “Ember Days” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.