Thursday

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Mårten Eskil Winge - Tor's Fight with the Giants - Google Art Project

Jupiter symbol (fixed width)

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DrusischerTempel

Thursday is the day of the week between Wednesday and Friday. According to the ISO 8601 international standard, it is the fourth day of the week. In countries that adopt the "Sunday-first" convention, it is the fifth day of the week. The name "Thursday" is derived from the Old English Þūnresdæg and Middle English Thurresday (with loss of -n-, first in northern dialects, from influence of Old Norse Þorsdagr), meaning "Thor's Day". It was named after the Norse god of thunder, Thor. Thursday is traditionally associated with Jupiter (Latin: Iovis Dies), the Roman god of thunder, in most Romance languages.

Etymology

The English word Thursday is named after the Norse god of thunder, Thor. Thursday means "Thor's day" in Old English. The day was named after the Norse mythological figure because it was dedicated to him in the Germanic pagan calendar. Similarly, in Latin, the day was known as dies Iovis, "Jupiter's Day", named after Jupiter, the Roman counterpart to Thor. In the Roman calendar, Thursday was also associated with the planet Jupiter and was known as "the day of Jupiter".

Cultural Significance

In many cultures, Thursday has been observed as a day of religious observance. In the Christian tradition, Maundy Thursday is celebrated in the week leading up to Easter, commemorating the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. In Islam, Thursdays are considered auspicious for the reading of the Quran and are seen as a day closer to the Friday prayers, which hold significant importance in Islamic worship.

In Modern Times

In the contemporary world, Thursday has various significances across different cultures. In many countries, it is considered the day when the work or school week starts to wind down, leading into the weekend. In the realm of media and entertainment, "Throwback Thursday" has become a popular social media trend, where individuals share nostalgic content from their past.

Thursday in Popular Culture

Thursday has been referenced in various aspects of popular culture, including music, literature, and television. For example, the band Thursday was an American post-hardcore band. The day is often associated with anticipation for the upcoming weekend and is depicted in media as a day for social gatherings and relaxation before the end of the workweek.

See Also

• Days of the week
• Thor
• Jupiter (mythology)
• Maundy Thursday
• Weekend