noon
noon
Noon (noun) means Twelve o'clock in the middle of the day. Example: “The church bells rang out at noon, and the shop closed for lunch.”
noun
1
Twelve o'clock in the middle of the day.
"The church bells rang out at noon, and the shop closed for lunch."
"We agreed to meet for lunch at noon."
"By noon, the temperature had already climbed past thirty degrees."
2
The highest or peak point of something.
"At the noon of his career, the singer filled every theatre he visited."
"The town was at the noon of its prosperity when the railway arrived."
"The empire reached the noon of its power in the second century."
How to use noon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe middle of the day, exactly twelve o'clock.
Common mistake
Don't confuse with "midnight," which is twelve o'clock at night — noon is always daytime.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
high noon
by noon
noon meeting
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Word forms
- Plural
- noons
- Third person singular
- noons
- Past tense
- nooned
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
The church bells rang out at _____, and the shop closed for lunch.
Etymology
From Old English non, "the ninth hour," borrowed from Latin nona (hora), "ninth hour" — originally referring to about 3pm, before the meaning shifted to midday.
Related words
Rhymes for noon
See all rhymes for noon →Frequently asked questions
What does “noon” mean?
The word “noon” means twelve o'clock in the middle of the day. In plain terms, the middle of the day, exactly twelve o'clock.
How do you pronounce “noon”?
“Noon” is pronounced noon (/nun/ in IPA).
How do you use “noon” in a sentence?
Here is “noon” used in a sentence: “We agreed to meet for lunch at noon.”
What is another word for “noon”?
Words with a similar meaning to “noon” include nones, noontide and twelve.
What is the opposite of “noon”?
The opposite of “noon” — its antonyms — is midnight.
What part of speech is “noon”?
“Noon” is a noun.
Where does the word “noon” come from?
The word “noon” comes from Latin. From Old English non, "the ninth hour," borrowed from Latin nona (hora), "ninth hour" — originally referring to about 3pm, before the meaning shifted to midday.
Is “noon” a common word?
“Noon” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A2 level.
What is the difference between noon and midday?
Noon and midday both mean twelve o'clock in the middle of the day and are largely interchangeable. Midday can sometimes refer more loosely to the general middle part of the day, while noon points to the exact hour.
What is the difference between noon and midnight?
Noon is twelve o'clock in the middle of the day, while midnight is twelve o'clock in the middle of the night. They fall twelve hours apart and sit opposite each other on the clock.
Is noon 12am or 12pm?
Noon is 12pm, since pm covers the hours from midday onward, whereas 12am refers to midnight. To avoid confusion, many people write '12 noon' or '12 midnight' instead.
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