date English · revision 3546

+ English has two words spelled ''date'': the fruit, from Greek ''dáktulos'', and the time, from Latin ''data''.^(AHD 2000)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /deɪt/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ {{homograph|1|fruit}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1290|origins=grc δάκτυλος}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The fruit is [[inh|enm|date]], [[bor|fro|date]] (modern [[m|fr|datte]]),^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) from [[pro|datil]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) from [[la|dactylus]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from [[grc|δάκτυλος|tr=dáktulos|t=finger, toe; date]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) The fruit is said to be named for its likeness to fingers,^(Etymonline) or for the finger-like shape of the date palm's leaves.^(SOED 2002)^(Hoad 1986)^(COED 2004)^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline notes the possibility that this sense of the Greek word comes from a Semitic source.^(Etymonline) It is a doublet of [[dactyl]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The fruit of the date palm: about 1290^(OED 1989) or about 1300.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The tree itself is a ''date'' from before 1400,^(OED 1989) also called the ''date tree'', probably before 1400, and the ''date palm'' from 1837.^(Barnhart 1988) A foolish or comic person, especially a ''soppy date'', is British slang from 1914.^(OED 1989)^(SOED 2002)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1290 – the fruit.^(OED 1989)

+ * before 1400 – the tree, also the ''date tree''.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1837 – ''date palm''.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1914 – slang, a foolish person.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # The sweet, oblong fruit of the date [[palm]], with a narrow hard seed.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # The date palm.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # ''(British slang)'' A silly or comic person.^(SOED 2002)^(OED 1989)

+

+ {{homograph|2|time}}

+

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1325|origins=la dare}}

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ The time is [[inh|enm|date]], [[bor|fro|date|t=date, day, time]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(SOED 2002) from [[la-med|data]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) the noun use of the feminine of [[la|datus|t=given]], the past participle of [[m|la|dare|t=to give]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024) It comes from the formula used in dating Latin letters, such as [[m|la|data Rōmae|t=given at Rome]], with [[m|la|epistula|t=letter]] understood.^(SOED 2002)^(Hoad 1986)^(COED 2004)^(Barnhart 1988) Etymonline traces ''dare'' to [[ine-pro|*do-|t=to give]].^(Etymonline)^(AHD 2000) It is related to [[data]], [[donor]] and [[dose]].^(Klein 1966)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A period of time, a season or age: about 1325^(OED 1989) or the early 14th century;^(Etymonline) the precise time when something happens from about 1330.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The part of a writing that states when it was made is a ''date'' from the late 14th century^(Etymonline) or about 1430.^(OED 1989) The verb “to mark a document with a date” is from about 1400^(Etymonline) or 1433,^(OED 1989) and “to fix the date of an event” from 1430.^(OED 1989) An appointment at a particular time is from 1876,^(OED 1989) or 1885 according to Etymonline,^(Etymonline) and the romantic sense, a social outing with someone, is from the 1890s.^(Etymonline) The person one goes out with is one's ''date'' by 1900^(Etymonline) or 1925,^(OED 1989) and the verb “to go out with” is from 1902.^(OED 1989)^(Etymonline) “To mark as old-fashioned” is from 1895.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1325 – a period of time.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1330 – the time when something happens.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1400 – verb, to mark with a date.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1430 – verb, to fix the date of.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1876 – an appointment.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1890s – a romantic engagement.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1895 – verb, to show as old-fashioned.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1902 – verb, to go out with.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1925 – the person one goes out with.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # Time stated as day, month and year; the statement of it on a document.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # A particular day of a month.^(AHD)

+ # The time at which something happened or is to happen.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # An [[appointment]], especially a romantic one, or the person met.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(informal)'' A performance engagement.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To mark with a date.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To determine the date of.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+ # To have its origin at a certain time: ''dates from 1850''.^(AHD)^(SOED 2002)

+ # To show the age of; to become old-fashioned.^(AHD)^(Etymonline)

+ # To go out with someone romantically.^(AHD)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[datable]]

+ * [[dated]]

+ * [[dateless]]

+ * [[dateline]]

+ * [[predate]]

+ * [[postdate]]

+ * [[outdate]]

+ * [[update]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[dactyl]]

+ * [[data]]

+ * [[datum]]

+ * [[donor]]

+ * [[dose]]

+ * [[pterodactyl]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}