Friday

Friday is the day of the week between Thursday and Saturday. In countries adopting the "Monday-first" convention it is the fifth day of the week. In countries that adopt the "Sunday-first" convention, it is the sixth and penultimate day of the week. In many cultures, Friday is considered to be a day of rest and celebration. It is also associated with the end of the work week and the start of the weekend.

Etymology

The name "Friday" comes from the Old English Frīġedæġ, meaning the "day of Frige", a result of an old convention associating the Old English goddess Frigg with the Roman goddess Venus, with whom the day is associated in many different cultures. The same holds for Frīatag in Old High German, Freitag in Modern German, and vrijdag in Dutch.

Cultural associations

In most countries with a five-day work week, Friday is the last work day before the weekend and is, therefore, viewed as a cause for celebration or relief. In some workplaces, Friday is viewed as a day of slightly reduced work rate, known as a "POETS day" (Piss Off Early, Tomorrow's Saturday) or "Friday afternoon syndrome".

Religious observances

Friday is a significant day for many world religions. For example, for Muslims, Friday is the day of congregational prayer, known as Jumu'ah. In Christianity, Good Friday is the Friday before Easter that commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus. In Judaism, Friday is the day when the Sabbath begins at sunset and ends on Saturday night.

In popular culture

Friday is often associated with leisure and recreation, as it marks the beginning of the weekend in many cultures. This is reflected in songs such as "Friday I'm in Love" by The Cure and "Friday on My Mind" by The Easybeats. In recent years, the day has also been associated with the viral song "Friday" by Rebecca Black.

See also

• Days of the week
• Weekend
• Workweek and weekend

Friday Resources
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