Wednesday is the fourth day of the week, falling right in the middle between Monday and Friday. Many people call it “hump day” because once you get past Wednesday, you're over the halfway point of the school or work week and coasting toward the weekend.

The name comes from the Old English Wōdnesdæg, meaning “Woden's day.” Woden was the king of the gods in Anglo-Saxon mythology, known for his wisdom and knowledge.

You might notice that Wednesday looks like it should be pronounced “wed-nes-day,” but English speakers say “wenz-day” instead, dropping the middle syllable. Some teachers joke that Wednesday is spelled like three short words: “wed,” “nes,” and “day,” which can help you remember how to write it correctly even though you'll never say it that way.