[med.L., fem. (sc. dies) of L. quinquāgēsimus fiftieth.
It is not certain whether the name is due to the fact that the Sunday in question is the fiftieth day before Easter (reckoning inclusively), or was simply formed on anal. of QUADRAGESIMA (cf. sex-, septuagesima).]
† a. The period beginning with the Sunday immediately preceding Lent and ending on Easter Sunday. Obs. † b. The first week of this period. Obs. c. (Also Quinquagesima Sunday.) The Sunday before Lent; Shrove Sunday.
1387. Trevisa, Higden (Rolls), VIII. 297. He … was i-crowned … þe Sonday in Quinquagesima, þat is þat day a fourtenyȝt after Alleluya is i-closed. Ibid. (1398), Barth. De P. R., IX. xxix. (1495), 364. Quinquagesima begynnyth the thyrd Sondaye after Septuagesima and endyth in the sonday of the Resurreccion.
1432–50. trans. Higden (Rolls), VII. 143. This emperoure goynge to here masse … in the Sonneday of Quinquagesima.
1612. Selden, Illustr. Drayton’s Poly-olb., xi. 185. The foure last daies of the Quinquagesima, that is Ash wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
1656. Blount, Glossogr., Quinquagesima Sunday is always that which we vulgarly call Shrove Sunday.
1710. Wheatly, Bk. Com. Prayer, iv. § 8. 78. The Tuesday after Quinquagesima Sunday is generally called Shrove Tuesday.
1885. Catholic Dict. (1897), 559/2. St. Ambrose … censures those who began Lent with Sexagesima or Quinquagesima.
attrib. 1885. Catholic Dict. (1897), 559/1. On the Monday in Quinquagesima week.
1901. Proctor & Frere, Bk. Com. Prayer, 533. The Quinquagesima Collect.
