red letter day

Definition

A day marked in red on calendars; a church feast day.

Etymology

An allusion to the practice, dating to classical antiquity, of marking important days in red on calendars.

Example Sentences

• "The only red-letter day occurring in July, is the twenty-fifth, called St James's Day."
• "But the monsters who interrupt men in the middle of a sentence are to be found everywhere; and they are always practising. Red-letter days or black-letter days, festival or fast, makes no difference to them."
• "Monday was a red letter day for her. She accomplished a lot and had fun doing it."