Whitsunday

• Whit Sunday

Inherited from Middle English Whitsonday, from whit (“white”) +‎ Sonday (“Sunday”), from Old English hwīt sunnandæg, probably from the white clothes worn by newly baptized Christians as Pentecost was a traditional date of baptism in early medieval England. Doublet of White Sunday.

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /wɪtˈsʌndeɪ/, /ʍ-/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /wɪtˈsʌndeɪ/, /wɪtˈsʌndi/, /ʍ-/
• (obsolete) IPA^(key): /ˈʍɪtsəndeɪ/, /ˈʍɪtsəndɪ/

Whitsunday (plural Whitsundays)

1. The Sunday of the feast of Pentecost, seven weeks after Easter
   • 1773, John Byrom, “On Whitsunday”, in Miscellaneous Poems:

     Jesus, ascended into Heav'n again/Bestow'd this won'drous Gift upon good Men/That various Nations, by his Spirit led,/All understood what Galileans said.

   • 2004, Vicki K Black, Welcome to the Church Year: An Introduction to the Seasons of the Episcopal Church:

     An older name for this day [Pentecost] is Whitsunday, or “white Sunday,” named for the white garments worn by the newly baptised.

2. (Scotland) A quarter day, falling on 15th May

• Whitsun
• Whitsunday Islands

Whitsunday

1. Whitsunday Region, a local government area in northern Queensland, Australia.