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noun

dawning

DAW-nihng
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Dawning (noun) means the very beginning or first signs of something starting to happen or be understood. Example: “The invention of the printing press marked the dawning of a new age of information.”

noun
1
The very beginning or first signs of something starting to happen or be understood.
"The invention of the printing press marked the dawning of a new age of information."

How to use dawning

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThe early start of something significant, often used figuratively rather than literally about sunrise.

Common pairings
the dawning of an era a dawning realization
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Word forms

Plural
dawnings
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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The invention of the printing press marked the _____ of a new age of information.

Etymology

It goes back to Middle English dawnynge, an altered form of dawing shaped by the influence of North Germanic cognates (compare Swedish and Danish dagning). See daw ("to dawn").

Origin: Middle English

morning dawn sunrise aurora sunup daybreak cockcrow dayspring first light break of day break of the day

Related words

Rhymes for dawning

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Frequently asked questions

What does “dawning” mean?
The word “dawning” means the very beginning or first signs of something starting to happen or be understood. In plain terms, the early start of something significant, often used figuratively rather than literally about sunrise.
How do you pronounce “dawning”?
“Dawning” is pronounced DAW-nihng (/ˈdɔːnɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “dawning” in a sentence?
Here is “dawning” used in a sentence: “The invention of the printing press marked the dawning of a new age of information.”
What part of speech is “dawning”?
“Dawning” is a noun.

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