Etymology Map
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Friday

3 stages from Latin to English.

Today it means the day of the week after Thursday

Where does the word "friday" come from? It comes from Latin dies Veneris, passing through Old English before entering English (1200s).

1
Stage 1 of 3
dies Veneris
Latin · classical
"Venus's day"
'day of Venus', goddess of love, still kept in French vendredi and Italian venerdì
2
Stage 2 of 3
Frīgedæg
Old English · medieval
"Frig's day"
Venus was matched with the Germanic goddess Frig (Frigg), wife of Woden
3
Stage 3 of 3
Friday
English · 1200s
"sixth day of the week"
the 'Friday the 13th' superstition is recorded only from the late 1800s and was popularised by Thomas Lawson's 1907 novel Friday, the Thirteenth
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Read the full story

Friday’s story begins in Latin: dies Veneris meant “Venus's day.” 'day of Venus', goddess of love, still kept in French vendredi and Italian venerdì. By medieval, the word had taken hold in Old English as Frīgedæg. Venus was matched with the Germanic goddess Frig (Frigg), wife of Woden. It reached English by 1200s as Friday. The 'Friday the 13th' superstition is recorded only from the late 1800s and was popularised by Thomas Lawson's 1907 novel Friday, the Thirteenth. Today, friday means the day of the week after Thursday.