week
week — noun
- weeksingular
- weeksplural
1. a length of time equal to seven days in a row, counted from any day to the same
a length of time equal to seven days in a row, counted from any day to the same day of the following week.
There are seven days in a week, from Monday to Sunday.
Elena will stay with her aunt for one week in July.
for + [number] + week
Rin goes to swim class twice a week on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
twice a week
The course lasts six weeks and ends just before Christmas.
Kemi bought enough food for the whole week ahead.
the whole week
- per week
- a week
- once a week
- twice a week
- last week
- this week
- next week
- for a week
- the whole week
Grammar Patterns
[number] + week(s)
once/twice a week
per week
Usage Note
Can be made plural with -s (weeks). Dates and durations often use a number before the word: 'two weeks', 'three weeks ago.'
Common Mistakes
2. the part of the week covering Monday through Friday, when most people go to work
the part of the week covering Monday through Friday, when most people go to work, school, or run their businesses.
Adisa works in the city during the week and goes hiking at weekends.
during the week
Noa's school is open during the week but closed on public holidays.
The library stays open all week until late in the evening.
all week
During the week the streets are busy, but on Sunday they are quiet.
- during the week
- all week
- through the week
- weekend
Saturday and Sunday, the non-working days
Grammar Patterns
during the week
Usage Note
Often paired with 'weekend' to contrast the working period with the rest days. 'During the week' is the most common prepositional phrase for this sense.
Common Mistakes
3. seven days later than the day or event you are talking about — for instance, 'a
seven days later than the day or event you are talking about — for instance, 'a week on Tuesday' means the Tuesday after next.
Eleni has a job interview a week from this Thursday.
a week from [day]
The package should arrive a week on Friday, according to the email.
a week on [day]
Walid will return from his trip this day next week.
this day next week
Quan booked the hotel for a week on Monday next month.
- a week from today
- a week on Monday
- this day next week
- a week tomorrow
- in a week
means seven days from now, but can also mean 'within a week'; slightly broader in meaning
- a week ago
seven days before now, the opposite time direction
Grammar Patterns
a week on [day]
a week from [day]
this day next week
Usage Note
Common in future planning contexts. The pattern 'a week on [day]' is more common in British English; American English prefers 'a week from [day].'
Common Mistakes
4. seven days earlier than the day you are talking about — for example, 'a week ago
seven days earlier than the day you are talking about — for example, 'a week ago Tuesday' means the Tuesday before last.
Adina started her new job a week ago yesterday.
a week ago [day]
Christopher finished the report a week last Friday.
a week last [day]
The storm hit the coast a week ago this morning.
Lakshmi saw the doctor a week ago Monday for a check-up.
- a week ago yesterday
- a week ago today
- a week last Sunday
- a week ago Monday
- a week on
seven days forward rather than backward in time
Grammar Patterns
a week ago [day]
a week last [day]
[day] a week ago
Usage Note
The pattern 'a week last [day]' is mainly British; 'a week ago [day]' is used in both British and American English.
Common Mistakes
5. the number of hours or days each week that someone spends doing their job.
the number of hours or days each week that someone spends doing their job.
Kemi works a thirty-five-hour week at the children's hospital.
[number]-hour week
The factory changed to a four-day working week for all staff.
[number]-day working week
Many nurses work a long week of twelve-hour shifts.
Rin's boss cut her week to four days after the baby arrived.
- working week
- forty-hour week
- four-day week
- long week
- short week
- workweek
common in American English for the same concept; 'workweek' can also refer to the culture or schedule of the working period
Grammar Patterns
[number]-hour week
[number]-day week
working week
Usage Note
Subject is usually a person or an organisation. The noun phrase often includes a number before 'week': 'a forty-hour week,' 'a six-day week.'
Common Mistakes
6. used to show that something happens or progresses steadily as each new seven-day
used to show that something happens or progresses steadily as each new seven-day period arrives.
Week after week, Elena watered the plants and watched them grow.
week after week
The queue outside the shop grew longer week by week.
week by week
Noa wrote to her grandmother week in and week out without missing a single Sunday.
week in, week out
As the weeks went by, Walid felt more confident in his new role.
- week after week
- week by week
- week in and week out
- as the weeks go by
- every week
more neutral and literal; does not carry the emotional weight of gradual passage that 'week after week' conveys
Grammar Patterns
week after week
week by week
week in, week out
Usage Note
Often used to emphasise the passing of time or the regularity of an action. Frequent in narrative descriptions and storytelling.
7. used to talk about a long period of time that lasts many seven-day cycles withou
used to talk about a long period of time that lasts many seven-day cycles without a clear end point.
Esme practiced the song for weeks until she knew it by heart.
for weeks
The rain continued for weeks and flooded the streets.
Adisa searched for weeks before finding the right apartment.
Lakshmi felt tired for weeks after her long flight from India.
- for weeks
- for weeks on end
- weeks of [something]
- for ages
more informal and less precise; can refer to any long period, not just weeks
- for a long time
neutral and general; less specific than 'for weeks'
Grammar Patterns
for weeks
Usage Note
Emphasises a long duration without stating an exact number of weeks. Often used when the speaker finds the wait noticeable or the situation unusual.
Common Mistakes
the other week
idiomnot long ago; one of the recent weeks.
I saw a great film the other week at the cinema near our house.
Adisa bumped into his old teacher in a café the other week.
week in, week out
idiomhappening every week without changing; continuously.
Eleni takes the same train to work week in, week out, all year long.
Walid jogs in the park every morning week in and week out.
A short time ago, usually within the past few days or weeks.
I met Sara at the cafe the other day.
Did you see that documentary the other evening?
Seven days after the day you mention.
The exam is on Friday week, so study hard.
We'll meet again Monday week at the park.
week after week
idiomHappening repeatedly every week for a long time.
Week after week, the team practiced without missing a day.
The garden grew more beautiful week after week.
week by week
idiomGradually as each week passes.
Week by week, the baby learned to crawl.
Her confidence improved week by week.
Seven days after the day you mention.
The concert is a week on Saturday, so buy tickets soon.
I'll see you a week tomorrow at the station.
Seven days before the day you mention.
He returned from his trip a week yesterday.
She started her new job a week last Monday.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/2
Weekday (countable) refers to any day Monday through Friday, contrasting with 'weekend': 'The library is open on weekdays from 9 to 6.' Workweek (countable), more common in American English, describes the total hours or days a person works in a seven-day period: 'A typical workweek in Japan is about forty hours.' Workday (countable) refers to a single day of work, or the length of that day: 'Her workday starts at 8 a.m.' Use 'week' (sense 2) when the focus is on the Monday-to-Friday block as a whole rather than individual days or total hours: 'I prefer to shop during the week when the stores are quieter.'
Common collocations
Adverbs
- weekly
- every week
- each week
Phrases
- week after week
- week by week
- week in, week out
- the week before
- the week after
Prepositions
- per week
- a week
- during the week
- within a week
- for a week
Etymology
The word 'week' comes from Old English 'wice' or 'wucu,' which meant a turning or succession. This goes back to a Proto-Germanic root *wikō- meaning 'turn' or 'change,' reflecting the idea of one seven-day cycle turning into the next. English also shares this ancient root with words like 'vicinity' (from Latin 'vicus').