Definition: Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent in the Roman Catholic Church. "Shrove" is the past tense of the word "shrive," which means to hear a confession, assign penance, and absolve from sin. Shrove Tuesday is a reminder that we are entering a season of penance.
Shrove Tuesday is also known as Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras (which is simply French for Fat Tuesday). You can find a great collection of recipes for Shrove Tuesday from around the About.com network in Fat Tuesday Recipes.
Since Shrove Tuesday is the same day as Mardi Gras, you can find the date of Shrove Tuesday in this and future years in When Is Mardi Gras?
Pronunciation: sh rōv ˈt(y)oōzˌdā
Also Known As: Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Pancake Day
Examples:
"On Shrove Tuesday, we always have pancakes to celebrate before the coming of Lent."
