праздник
prazdnik
/ˈpraz.nʲɪk/
Definition
A holiday or celebration; a special day when people gather to enjoy themselves or mark an event.
Example
Завтра большой праздник, и вся семья собирается вместе.
Show translation
Tomorrow is a big holiday, and the whole family is getting together.
Etymology
From Old Church Slavonic *праздьникъ* (prazdĭnikŭ), derived from *праздный* (prazd'nyy, "free, idle, empty"), itself tracing to Proto-Slavic *porzdnъ*. The underlying idea is a day "emptied" of ordinary work — a free day set aside for festivity. Cognates exist in most Slavic languages: Polish *święto*, Bulgarian *празник*, Serbian *празник*.
Cultural note
Russia has a rich calendar of public holidays (*государственные праздники*), including New Year's (Новый год) — the biggest celebration of the year — Victory Day (День Победы, 9 May), and International Women's Day (8 March). The word *праздник* carries a warm, festive connotation beyond a mere day off; Russians often say «С праздником!» ("Happy holiday!") as a greeting on any celebration. Note that July 9 itself is not a major Russian public holiday, but the word remains highly relevant year-round.