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date
/deɪt/
specific day
Our meeting is scheduled for June 15th.
The date of the meeting is June 15th.
formal
The day of the month or year as specified in a calendar.
The date on the letter was January 20, 2023.
The document was dated January 20, 2023.
Often used in formal contexts like letters, contracts, or appointments.
informal
A romantic or social appointment.
We have a date tonight at the new Italian restaurant.
We are meeting romantically tonight at the new Italian restaurant.
Commonly used in social contexts to describe planned meetings with a romantic interest.
neutral
A fruit of the date palm tree.
She enjoys eating dates as a healthy snack.
She likes to snack on the sweet fruit from the date palm.
Refers to the edible fruit, often dried, known for its sweet taste.
formal
To record or mark the time of an event.
The historian dated the artifact to the 18th century.
The historian determined the artifact's age as the 18th century.
Used in historical or archaeological contexts to assign a time period.
Collocations
expiration datethe last day a product is safe to usedue datethe deadline for a task or paymentfirst datean initial romantic meetingset a dateto choose a day for an event
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related Phrases
Pro Tip
Distinguishing meanings
If 'date' refers to a day or time, it is likely a noun in formal contexts. If it describes a romantic meeting, it is informal and often a verb or noun in social contexts. For the fruit, it is usually preceded by an article ('a date').
Gold Rule
Context is key
Always check the surrounding words to determine if 'date' refers to time, a social event, or the fruit.
Word Origin
From Old French 'date' (date, day), from Latin 'datum' (given), the past participle of 'dare' (to give). The sense of a romantic meeting emerged in the late 19th century.
Usage Notes
The word 'date' can refer to time, fruit, or social arrangements. Context determines meaning. For time-related uses, it often appears in formal or written contexts. For romantic contexts, it is informal and spoken.
Word Breakdown
date
from Latin 'datum' (given)
rootEnglish Dictionary