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. Related to German Lenz and Dutch lente (“springtime”).

• IPA^(key): /lɛnt/
• Rhymes: -ɛnt
• Homophones: leant, lent, lint (with 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.
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 City: 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