Meaning & use
MLK's Birthday
Last updated
Meaning
proper nounproperAmerican
A U.S. holiday held on the third Monday of January to honor civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr.
Grammar: Used as a name; no article before it: MLK's Birthday is in January.
Patterns
- on MLK's Birthday
- celebrate MLK's Birthday
Schools and banks are closed on MLK's Birthday.
Many people volunteer for community service on MLK's Birthday.
The parade for MLK's Birthday starts at ten in the morning.
Common combinations
- on MLK's Birthday
- We have a day off on MLK's Birthday.
- celebrate MLK's Birthday
- The city celebrates MLK's Birthday with a concert.
- MLK's Birthday weekend
- Hotels are busy during the MLK's Birthday weekend.
Synonyms and how they differ
- Martin Luther King Jr. Day
- This is the official full name of the holiday; MLK's Birthday is a shorter, informal way to say it.
- MLK Day
- A very common short form used in speech and writing; it sounds slightly more casual than MLK's Birthday.
Word family
- MLK abbreviation
- Short for Martin Luther King Jr., the person the holiday honors.
Commonly confused: MLK's Birthday or Presidents' Day?
MLK's Birthday vs Presidents' Day
Another U.S. federal holiday, held in February to honor U.S. presidents; don't mix it up with MLK's Birthday in January.
Practice
When is MLK's Birthday celebrated in the United States?
Choose one answer.
MLK's Birthday falls on the third Monday in January. The fourth Thursday in November is Thanksgiving, the first Monday in September is Labor Day, and the last Monday in May is Memorial Day.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “MLK's Birthday”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.