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Date

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date¹

  • /deɪt/

Rhymes with -eɪt

Where it comes from

From Middle English date, from Old French date, datil, datille, from Latin dactylus (likely via Old Provençal datil), from Ancient Greek δάκτυλος (dáktulos, “finger”) (from the resemblance of the date to a human finger), probably a folk-etymological alteration of a word from a Semitic source such as Arabic دَقَل (daqal, “variety of date palm”) or Hebrew דֶּקֶל (deqel, “date palm”). Doublet of dactyl and dactylus. Displaced native Old English fingeræppel, literally "finger-apple".

noun dates

  1. The fruit of the date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, somewhat in the shape of an olive, containing a soft, sweet pulp and enclosing a hard kernel. We made a nice cake from dates.
  2. The date palm. There were a few dates planted around the house.
  3. Australia, New Zealand The anus. The bullet took the middle finger of his right hand clean off […]. ‘He sure won't be sticking that finger up his date again,’ said Max.

date²

  • /deɪt/

Rhymes with -eɪt

Where it comes from

From Middle English date, from Old French date, from Late Latin data, from Latin datus (“given”), past participle of dare (“to give”); from Proto-Indo-European *deh₃- (“to give”). Doublet of data.

noun dates

  1. The addition to a writing, inscription, coin, etc., which specifies the time (especially the day, month, and year) when the writing or inscription was given, executed, or made. the date of a letter, of a will, of a deed, of a coin, etc.
  2. A specific day in time at which a transaction or event takes place, or is appointed to take place; a given point of time. the date for pleading
  3. A point in time. You may need that at a later date.
  4. rare An assigned end; a conclusion. But because he is but briefe, and these things of great consequence not to be kept obscure, I shall conceave it nothing above my duty either for the difficulty or the censure that may passe thereon, to communicate such thoughts as I also have had, and do offer them now in this generall labour of ref
  5. obsolete A given or assigned length of life; duration. Good luck prolonged hath thy date.
  6. A pre-arranged meeting. I arranged a date with my Australian business partners.
  7. One's companion for social activities or occasions, especially a romantic partner. I brought Melinda to the wedding as my date.
  8. A romantic meeting or outing with a lover or potential lover, or the person so met. We really hit it off on the first date, so we decided to meet the week after.

verb dates · dating · dated

  1. transitive To note the time or place of writing or executing; to express in an instrument the time of its execution. to date a letter, a bond, a deed, or a charter
  2. transitive To note or fix the time of (an event); to give the date of. The writer dates the festival on June 21st, which is probably a mistake.
  3. transitive To determine the age of something. to date the building of the pyramids
  4. transitive To take (someone) on a date, or a series of dates.
  5. broadly, transitive To have a steady relationship with; to be romantically involved with. Jessica Simpson reportedly went on a drinking binge after discovering ex-boyfriend John Mayer is dating Jennifer Aniston.
  6. broadly, reciprocal To have a steady relationship with each other; to be romantically involved with each other. They met a couple of years ago, but have been dating for about five months.
  7. ambitransitive To make or become old, especially in such a way as to fall out of fashion, become less appealing or attractive, etc. This show hasn't dated well.
  8. intransitive To have beginning; to begin; to be dated or reckoned. The Batavian republic dates from the successes of the French arms.

Similar: date, go out [with], go with, go together, hang together, have a thing, see, step out

Date³

Where it comes from

Two main origins:

* Borrowed from Marathi दाते (dāte), from Sanskrit दाता (dātā), nominative singular of दातृ (dātṛ, “giver, donor”).

* Borrowed from Japanese 伊達 (Date, “a city in Hokkaido Prefecture”), a habitational surname.

proper noun Dates

  1. A surname.
  2. A ghost town in Perkins County, South Dakota, United States.

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