semaine

Semaine is the French noun for a period of seven days or, in common usage, the sequence of days from Monday to Sunday as represented in most calendars. It is used in expressions such as cette semaine, la semaine prochaine, and la semaine dernière, and can denote either a calendar week or a standard workweek.

Etymology and history: The word derives from the Latin septimana, meaning seven days, via the Old French form that evolved into the modern word. The concept of a seven-day week has ancient roots in Mesopotamian, Judaeo-Christian, and later European calendars. In medieval Latin and Old French, septimana and related forms gradually stabilized into the contemporary French semaine.

Usage and structure: In contemporary French, the days of the week are lundi, mardi, mercredi, jeudi, vendredi, samedi, and dimanche. Their names largely reflect Latin origins: lundi from lunae (the Moon), mardi from Martis (Mars), mercredi from Mercurii (Mercury), jeudi from Jovis (Jupiter), vendredi from Veneris (Venus), samedi from sabbatum (Sabbath), and dimanche from dies dominicus (the Lord’s Day). Modern calendar conventions often place Monday as the first day of the week (ISO 8601), though some contexts and cultures treat Sunday as the first day. The term semaine also appears in phrases like semaine de travail to denote the working week.

Related terms: In French, quinzaine refers to a period of fourteen days, or two weeks. Semaine remains a central unit in timekeeping, scheduling, and cultural calendars across francophone regions.