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noun

eventide

EE-vuhn-tyde

Eventide (noun) means the evening; the closing part of the day, especially at dusk. Example: “They walked by the river at eventide.”

noun
1
literary The evening; the closing part of the day, especially at dusk.
"They walked by the river at eventide."
"The hymn is meant to be sung at eventide."

How to use eventide

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEvening — an old, poetic word for it.

When to use it

Archaic and literary; using it in everyday conversation sounds deliberately quaint.

Memory tip

The -tide ending means 'time', as in Yuletide and Whitsuntide — nothing to do with the sea.

Trace the full origin ↓
Easily confused with
Common pairings
at eventide the cool of eventide
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Fill the gap

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They walked by the river at _____.

Etymology

From Old English æfentid, from æfen 'evening' and tid 'time'.

Origin: Old English

Related words

Rhymes for eventide

See all rhymes for eventide →

Frequently asked questions

Is eventide still used in modern English?

Rarely in ordinary speech. It survives in hymns and poetry, in the name of the tune Eventide (sung to 'Abide with Me'), and in the names of care homes and cottages, where it carries a settled, old-fashioned warmth.

What is the difference between eventide and twilight?

Eventide names the whole evening period as a stretch of time, with a poetic or archaic flavour. Twilight names the particular half-light between sunset and darkness, and is an ordinary word still in everyday use.

What is the meaning of eventide?

"eventide" (noun) means the evening; the closing part of the day, especially at dusk.

What is another word for eventide?

Other words for "eventide" include evening, dusk, twilight, nightfall, gloaming.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial · etymology from FreeDict original editorial