Tuesday facts for kids

Tuesday, named after the Nordic god Týr

Tuesday is a day of the week that comes right after Monday and before Wednesday. In some countries, like the United States, Tuesday is seen as the third day of the week. But in many other parts of the world, it's actually considered the second day.

Where Does the Name "Tuesday" Come From?

The name Tuesday has a long history! It comes from an old English word, Tiwesday. This word was named after a powerful Nordic god called Tyr. Tyr was known as the god of war. He was similar to the Roman god of war, Mars, and the Greek god, Ares.

Tuesday's Name Around the World

In Latin, the language of ancient Rome, Tuesday was called Martis dies. This means "Mars's Day." You can still see this in many languages today! For example, in French, Tuesday is mardi. In Spanish, it's martes. In Italian, it's martedì. These are all Romance languages, which grew out of Latin.

Even some Celtic languages, which are not from Latin, use names similar to the Latin one. For instance, in Irish, Tuesday is dé máirt.

The names for Tuesday in English and Scandinavian languages come from the Norse god Tyr. For example:

• In Swedish, it's Tisdag.
• In Danish, it's Tirsdag.
• In Norwegian, it's Tirsdag or Tysdag.
• In Icelandic, it's Týsdagur.

See also

In Spanish: Martes para niños