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today
/təˈdeɪ/
this present day
I will finish the project today.
The action is scheduled for completion on the current 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
Synonyms
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
prepositionday
a 24-hour period
nounEnglish Dictionary