Here's a breakdown:
* Old English: "Wōdnesdæg" (meaning "Woden's day")
* Old Norse: "Óðinsdagr" (meaning "Odin's day")
Odin was a prominent deity in Norse mythology, associated with wisdom, magic, poetry, and war. He was revered as the father of many gods and the ruler of the realm of the dead, Valhalla.
So, "Wednesday" is literally "Woden's day", a testament to the importance of this deity in the ancient Germanic and Norse cultures.
It's interesting to note that other Germanic languages have similar origins for Wednesday:
* German: Mittwoch (meaning "middle day")
* Dutch: Woensdag (meaning "Woden's day")
* Swedish: Onsdag (meaning "Odin's day")
Even though the day is named after a Norse god, the Roman influence is also present. The Romans assigned Wednesday to the planet Mercury, who was associated with commerce, travel, and communication. This explains why the French call Wednesday "mercredi" (meaning "Mercury's day").