lundi

Lundi is the French word for Monday, the second day of the week in most modern calendars. In France and many Francophone regions, the week is commonly understood to begin on Sunday, with lundi marking the first full workday after the weekend. In international contexts, the ISO 8601 standard designates Monday as the first day of the week.

Etymology and cognates: The term derives from Latin dies Lunae, “the day of the Moon,” via Old French. This lunar origin is reflected in several European languages: Spanish lunes, Italian lunedì, French lundi, and English Monday all trace back to the Moon. German Montag also historically names the day after the Moon, via related Germanic forms. Portuguese uses segunda-feira for Monday, a designation meaning “second day of the week,” illustrating variation in naming across languages.

Usage and cultural context: In everyday French, lundi is used for scheduling, dates, and references to the day of the week. Phrases such as “ce lundi” (this Monday) or “lundi prochain” (next Monday) are common. The day commonly represents the start of the workweek or school week in many Francophone regions, though weekend practices and calendars may vary by country and tradition. In international calendars, Monday’s position as day one can influence planning and data formats, especially in professional and numerical contexts.