Lenten

views updated May 29 2018

Lenten of, in, or appropriate to Lent. Old English lencten ‘spring, Lent’, of Germanic origin, is related to long, perhaps with reference to the lengthening of the day in spring; it is now interpreted as coming directly from Lent + the suffix -en.
Lenten fare food appropriate to Lent, especially that without meat.
Lenten rose a hellebore that is cultivated for its flowers which appear in late winter or early spring.

Lenten

views updated Jun 11 2018

Lent·en / ˈlent(ə)n/ • adj. [attrib.] of, in, or appropriate to Lent: Lenten food.