JUNETEENTH

What Does JUNETEENTH Mean in a Text?

The Quick Answer

JUNETEENTH is a Federal Holiday Commemorating the Emancipation of Slaves.

More Detail...

In the US, Juneteenth is a federal public holiday that commemorates the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans after the American Civil War. It is a combination of the words "June" and "nineteenth." On June 19 1865 (more than two months after the end of the war), Union forces occupied Galveston, Texas and issued a decree freeing the last of the slaves held there. Since that date, Juneteenth has been marked as a day of celebration and remembrance by the Black American community. In 1980, Juneteenth was recognized as a state public holiday in Texas and, in 2021, it was officially declared a federal public holiday.

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When I write JUNETEENTH, I mean this:

Juneteenth commemorates the emancipation of enslaved black Americans.

Summary of Key Points

"US Federal Holiday Commemorating Emancipation of Slaves" is, by far, the most common meaning for JUNETEENTH when it is used in a text. (Bear in mind that it could have another meaning if used in a different context.)

JUNETEENTH
Definition:	US Federal Holiday Commemorating Emancipation of Slaves
Type:	Word
Guessability:	4: Difficult to guess
Typical Users:	Adults, Teenagers, and Under 13s

An Academic Look at JUNETEENTH

As it is formed by merging two words (or parts of words) into one, Juneteenth is classified as a portmanteau word. It is formed by amalgamating the word June with teenth (from "nineteenth"). Other examples of portmanteau words are smog (smoke and fog) and brunch (breakfast and lunch) .