today

/təˈdeɪ/
adverbnounBeginner this present day
neutral

on or for this present day

Today is a beautiful day to go hiking.

The current day offers favorable conditions for outdoor activity.

She plans to visit her parents today.

The action of visiting parents is scheduled for the present day.

💡

Used to refer to the current calendar day. Can function as an adverb or noun.

neutral

the present time or period

Fashion today is very different from 50 years ago.

Current styles and trends differ significantly from past eras.

💡

Often used in abstract contexts to refer to the current era or period.

Collocations

today's datethe current calendar datetoday's newsrecent or current news eventstoday onlyavailable or valid for the present day only

💡Pro Tip

Common Mistakes

Don't confuse 'today' with 'to day' (two words) which is archaic. Always use one word in modern English.

Gold Rule

Temporal Reference

'Today' always refers to the current calendar day, not a general time period unless context specifies otherwise.

📖Word Origin

From Middle English 'to day', from Old English 'tō dæge' (to the day), equivalent to 'to' + 'day'. Cognate with Dutch 'vandaag', German 'heute', and Danish 'i dag'.

📝Usage Notes

Can be used at the beginning, middle, or end of a sentence. Commonly used with present simple tense verbs to indicate current actions or states.

Word Breakdown

to
preposition indicating direction or relationship
preposition
+
day
a 24-hour period
noun
English Dictionary