fortnight

noun

fort·​night ˈfȯrt-ˌnīt How to pronounce fortnight (audio)
: a period of 14 days : two weeks
They stayed with us for a fortnight.

Examples of fortnight in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Most guests visit for one of the gut-cleanse programmes, which can last from a week to a fortnight. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026 That second time was during a fortnight of back-to-back concerts at the tail-end of the pandemic in 2021. — Lily Moayeri, SPIN, 8 Oct. 2026 This has not been an easy fortnight for Middlesbrough and the wider Teesside area. — Michael Walker, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2026 China also pays plasma donors, but caps donations at every fortnight, up to 24 times a year – far fewer times than the US, where donors can roll up their sleeves up to twice a week, 104 times a year. — Cnn Staff, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for fortnight

Word History

Etymology

Middle English fourtenight, alteration of fourtene night, from Old English fēowertȳne niht fourteen nights

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fortnight was before the 12th century

Rhymes for fortnight

See All Rhymes for fortnight

Browse Nearby Words

Fort Nelson
fortnight
fortnightly
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Cite this Entry

“Fortnight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fortnight. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

fortnight

noun
fort·​night ˈfōrt-ˌnīt How to pronounce fortnight (audio)
ˈfȯrt-
: a period of 14 days : two weeks
fortnightly
-lē
adverb or adjective
Etymology

Old English fēowertȳne niht "fourteen nights"

More from Merriam-Webster on fortnight

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about fortnight

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