eve

¹ American  

[eev] / iv /

noun

1. (sometimes initial capital letter) the evening or the day before a holiday, church festival, or any date or event.

   Christmas Eve; the eve of an execution.

2. the period preceding or leading up to any event, crisis, etc..

   on the eve of the American Revolution.

3. the evening.

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Eve ² American  

[eev] / iv /

noun

1. (in the Bible) the name of the first woman: wife of Adam and progenitor of the human race.

2. a female given name: from a Hebrew word meaning “life.”

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eve ¹ British  

/ iːv /

noun

1. 1. the evening or day before some special event or festival

   2. ( capital when part of a name )

      New Year's Eve

2. the period immediately before an event

   on the eve of civil war

3. an archaic word for evening

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Eve ² British  

/ iːv /

noun

1. Old Testament the first woman; mother of the human race, fashioned by God from the rib of Adam (Genesis 2:18-25)

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Eve Cultural  

1. In the Book of Genesis, the first woman. (See Adam and Eve and Creation.)

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eve Idioms  

1. see on the eve of.

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Etymology

Origin of eve

1200–50; Middle English; variant of even ²

Explanation

An eve is the day — or night — just before some event. You might call the day before your birthday your "birthday eve." Some holidays are well-known for having the proceeding days distinguished as eves: many of us celebrate New Year's Eve, others gather for meals on Christmas Eve or Passover Eve, and the word "Halloween" comes from "All Hallow's Eve." The word eve is sometimes also a shortened form of evening, the last part of the day: "It stays light so late on a summer's eve."

Example Sentences

This stark warning was issued on the eve of Maritime Week conference in Singapore by Richard Meade.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026

This year’s American Music Honors arrives on the eve of the bravura grand opening of the Center’s spacious new home, which will begin welcoming visitors in June.

From Salon • Apr. 20, 2026

On the eve of the Iran war, Vance told the Washington Post that Trump wouldn't let the US get dragged into another so-called forever war in the Middle East.

From BBC • Apr. 10, 2026

On the eve of the 12-day war, Israel believed Iran had 2,500 or 3,000 ballistic missiles and would soon be able to mass-produce more.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 2, 2026

As she lay in the dark, her thoughts flitted here and there, never staying for long, like the glow of fireflies on a late summer’s eve.

From "In the Year of the Boar and Jackie Robinson" by Bette Bao Lord

Related Words

• brink
• night
• verge