Lent

Shortened form of Lenten, from Old English lencten, from Proto-West Germanic *langatīn (“spring”), as in a season into which days lengthen as it progresses.

Cognate with Alemannic German langsé, Langssi (“spring”), Bavarian longas, lòngas, longast (“spring”), Cimbrian langaz, langhes, långez (“spring”), lentz (“March”), Dutch lente (“spring”), German Lenz, Lenze (“spring”), Mòcheno langes (“spring”).

• IPA^(key): /lɛnt/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɛnt
• Homophones: leant, lent; lint (pin–pen merger)

Lent (plural Lents)

1. (Christianity) A period of the ecclesiastical year preceding Easter, traditionally involving temporary abstention from certain foods and pleasures.

   Hezekiah gave up vaping for Lent.

   1. (Eastern Christianity) The 40 days preceding Lazarus Saturday, the Saturday preceding Holy Week.
   2. (Roman Catholicism) The 46 days preceding Easter, reckoned as 40 days by excluding Sundays.
      • 2026 February 16, Alicia Eler, “Lunar New Year, Ramadan and Lent in rare alignment this year. The holidays follow different solar and lunar calendars, but some of them sync up in 2026”, in Minnesota Star Tribune‎^[1], archived from the original on 16 February 2026:

        This Tuesday and Wednesday, four holidays from different cultures and religions overlap in a rare calendar year. The celebrations of Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) and Lunar New Year both occur on Tuesday, Feb. 17 [2026]. This won't happen again until Feb. 13, 2029, according to the websites chinahighlights.com and mardigrasneworleans.com. Ramadan is expected to start Tuesday evening, pending official confirmation, and Lent ([which begins on] Ash Wednesday) begins on Feb. 18. Last year, Ramadan and Lent began within a week of each other on Feb. 28 and March 5. The holidays are all happening within two days this year because several long solar, lunar and lunisolar calendar cycles sync up. Lunar New Year happens on the second new moon after winter solstice, which is also Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) — 47 days before Easter Sunday.

2. (UK, education) Ellipsis of Lent term.
3. (Buddhism, Myanmar) vassa, period of the Buddhist lent during the rainy season

• (Christianity): Lententide, Lent season, Lenten season, season of Lent, Quadragesima
• (Eastern Christianity): Great Lent
• (educational): Lent term

• (Christianity): liturgical season, carene (rare)

• (Roman Catholicism): Ash Wednesday (1st day), Quadragesima Sunday (1st Sunday), Reminiscere Sunday (2nd Sunday), Oculi Sunday (3rd Sunday), Laetare Sunday (4th Sunday), Passion Sunday (5th Sunday), Palm Sunday (6th Sunday), Holy Saturday (last day) (see terms for synonyms)
• (Eastern Orthodoxy): Clean Monday (1st day), Lazarus Friday (last day)

Two main origins:

• Reduced form of Dutch van Lent, a habitational surname for someone from Lent, in Gelderland.
• Perhaps an Americanized spelling of German Lenth, from a personal name related to the noun Land.

Lent (plural Lents)

1. A surname.

• According to the 2010 United States Census, Lent is the 7652^nd most common surname in the United States, belonging to 4341 individuals. Lent is most common among White (93.16%) individuals.

• Hanks, Patrick, editor (2003), “Lent”, in Dictionary of American Family Names, volume 2, New York: Oxford University Press, →ISBN, page 423.

First attested as in lente in 1196. Etymology uncertain. Potentially derived from Proto-Germanic *linditja- (“linden grove”), from *lindu, or dialectal lent (“quay where peat is stacked for transport”). Compare Lenthe and Linde.

• IPA^(key): /lɛnt/
• Hyphenation: Lent
• Rhymes: -ɛnt

Lent n

1. a village and former municipality of Nijmegen, Gelderland, Netherlands

   Synonym: Kikkergat (Carnival nickname)

• Lentenaar
• Lents

• van Berkel, Gerard; Samplonius, Kees (2018), Nederlandse plaatsnamen verklaard (in Dutch), Mijnbestseller.nl, →ISBN