today English · revision 1811

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=compound|attested=before 899 (Old English)}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /təˈdeɪ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|to dai]],^(Barnhart 1995) [[inh|ang|tōdæġe|t=on this day]],^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) from [[m|ang|tō|t=at, on]] and [[m|ang|dæġe]], the dative of [[m|ang|dæġ|t=day]],^(Barnhart 1995)^(MWU 2024) that is, [[to]] and [[day]].^(COED 2004) It was usually written as two words until the 16th century and then as to-day until the early 20th.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) Other Germanic languages have similar phrases, such as [[nl|van daag]] and [[da|i dag]], while German [[m|de|heute]] continues a different phrase, [[gem-pro|*hiu tagu|t=on this day]].^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ On this present day (Old English, before 899).^(Barnhart 1995)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The extended sense “nowadays, in these times” appeared about 1300.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) Middle English also used ''to day'' in reckoning time: ''to day seven night'' meant “a week from today”.^(Etymonline) The noun, “this day”, is first recorded in Coverdale's translation of the Bible (1535),^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) and “the present age” in the 19th century.^(OED 1989)^(HTOED) The colloquial adjective “modern, up to date” (''the today generation'') is dated 1908 by the HTOED, 1966 by Merriam-Webster and 1969 by the OED.^(HTOED)^(MW Collegiate)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 899 – Old English ''tō dæġe'', on this day.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * c. 1200 – Middle English ''to dai''.^(Barnhart 1995)

+ * c. 1300 – nowadays, at the present time.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1535 – noun, this day (Coverdale).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1831 – noun, the present time or age.^(HTOED)

+ * 1908 – adjective, modern.^(HTOED)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adverb===

+ # On or during this present day.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # At the present time; [[nowadays]].^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # This present day.^(AHD)^(COED 2004)

+ # The present period or age: ''the children of today''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Adjective===

+ # ''(informal)'' Characteristic of the present time; modern.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tonight]]

+ * [[tomorrow]]

+ * [[yesterday]]

+ * [[day]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}