Holiday vs. Vacation
In English language there are many words that have similar meaning with different usages which in some cases may cause misunderstandings; in order to use the right word in the right place, it’s necessary to know the differences to avoid any possible confusion or mistakes; for instance, using 'holiday' and 'vacation' instead of each other, is one of the common mistakes; although the differences are slight in meaning, it's essential to learn them.
Differences between 'Holiday' and 'Vacation'
‘Holiday’ and ‘vacation’ are very similar in meaning, and are confused so often. The good news is that the two words are somehow the same, with slight differences in usage, and many people use them interchangeably which is understandable to non-native and native ears. But if you know the real meaning and usages, you will be able to use them properly with no worries. Fine, now it's time to dig into their differences:
Holiday
Is 'holiday' a British or American word? Well, the word ‘holiday’ is mainly used in British English that means ‘a time of rest from work, school,’ which usually refers to the official or legal off days set by law. It also means ‘the time when you travel to another place for pleasure or leisure.’ Here are some examples:
Examples of 'holiday' in use:
- Summer holidays will start soon.
- I will be on holiday from 5th of June.
- We met on holiday in Paris.
However, in everyday use, when someone is temporary away from his work or school, or if he is sick and is away, the word ‘off’ is used; for instance:
- Jane is off this week working on her presentation.
- Sarah is off, she’s got the flu.
For legal days off, British people use ‘bank holidays’ when all banks or business are closed, and it mostly takes place on Monday. Americans prefer ‘public holiday’ instead; actually, ‘public holiday’ is common to British and American English and is used all over the world.
Vacation
The word ‘vacation’ is commonly used in American English, and it means ‘a holiday, or time spent not working, or when school or university is closed.’ Vacation is not necessarily an official day off, but actually it’s a time you decide to be off, it’s a personal choice, and personal time off. When referring to an official celebration or legal day, Americans also choose the word ‘holiday’, like Christmas Holidays. However, the use of ‘vacation’ is not very common in Britain. Here are some examples:
Examples of 'vacation' in use:
- He’s on vacation this week.
- I’m taking some vacation next month.
‘Vacation’ is also used when referring to the number of days that you are allowed to be off, as paid leaves by the employer:
- How much vacation does he get at his job?
- She has only 3 vacation days left. After that she won’t be able to take any paid leaves.
- All staff will receive four weeks’ paid vacation annually.
In summary,
To put it in a nutshell, we can say that the differences between 'holiday' and 'vacation' are based on their use in different cultures; ‘holiday’ is used in British English, which is a special or national day off, set by law, like Christmas or New year, whereas ‘vacation’ is used in American English, and it refers to a personal time off work or school, when you usually travel. Americans use the word ‘holiday’ for official celebrations, so it’s possible to have a holiday during a vacation meaning that while you are on vacation, Christmas or Thanksgiving Day takes place.
Here are some other synonyms with very specific usages, which you need to make sure of what you intend to say.
Other similar and common words:
- ‘Break’ is a short vacation from work or studies.
- ‘Leave’ a time when you are allowed not to work, usually paid by the employer.
- ‘Sabbatical’ is ‘a period when someone, especially a teacher, stops doing their usual work in order to study or travel’.
- ‘Furlough’ is a period of time when a soldier or someone working in another country can return to their own country as a holiday.
- ‘R & R’ (rest and relaxation) is a holiday given to people in the army, navy etc. after a long period of hard work or during a war.
Holiday vs Vacation
Robi B