evening

The word “evening” means the part of the day between afternoon and night. In plain terms, the stretch of day between afternoon and nightfall.

“Evening” is pronounced EEV-nihng (/ˈiv.nɪŋ/ in IPA).

Here is “evening” used in a sentence: “We usually eat dinner in the evening.”

Words with a similar meaning to “evening” include een, eve, even, eventide, eveningtide and eveningtime.

The opposite of “evening” — its antonyms — is morning.

“Evening” is a noun.

The word “evening” comes from Old English. From Old English ǣfnung, "becoming evening," derived from ǣfen ("eve").

“Evening” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.

There is no fixed clock time, but evening is generally taken to run from about 5 or 6 pm until night sets in around 8 or 9 pm. It loosely begins as the working afternoon ends and stretches toward bedtime hours. The exact boundaries shift with season, daylight, and local habit.

Evening is the transition from afternoon toward darkness, when the day is winding down but activity continues — dinner, socialising, relaxing. Night is the fully dark period that follows, associated with sleep and late hours. Evening feels sociable and still active; night feels quiet and dark. The two blend gradually rather than at a set time.

Afternoon runs from around noon until roughly 5 pm, covering the middle and later part of the working day. Evening follows, from about 5 or 6 pm into the darker hours. The handover is not precise, but afternoon is linked to daylight and work, while evening leans toward the end of the day and relaxation.

"Good evening" is a polite greeting used from roughly early evening onward, replacing "good afternoon" as the day draws to a close. Unlike "good night," which is a farewell said when parting or heading to bed, "good evening" is a greeting used on meeting someone during the evening hours.