A bank holiday is a public day off when banks and offices close. The August bank holiday, a bank holiday weekend, closed for the bank holiday.
The name is literal, since the days were fixed by an act naming the days the Bank of England would shut. England has fewer of them than almost any country in Europe, which is a standing national complaint.
1nounbank holidayA public day off when banks and offices close.
“We're going to the seaside on the bank holiday weekend.”
bank holiday is a holiday.
From the days on which the Bank of England was to close, fixed by act of parliament in 1871.
Historically, a holiday, other than a public holiday, observed by the Bank of England.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA
Practised in Time & Calendar