dawn

¹

[dawn]

noun

1. the first appearance of daylight in the morning.

   Dawn broke over the valley.

   Synonyms: sunrise, daybreak
   Antonyms: sunset

2. the beginning or rise of anything; advent.

   the dawn of civilization.

verb (used without object)

1. to begin to grow light in the morning.

   The day dawned with a cloudless sky.

2. to begin to open or develop.

3. to begin to be perceived (usually followed byon ).

   The idea dawned on him.

   Synonyms: break, occur, appear

Dawn

²

[dawn]

noun

1. a female given name.

dawn

/ dɔːn /

noun

1. daybreak; sunrise

2. the sky when light first appears in the morning

3. the beginning of something

verb

1. to begin to grow light after the night

2. to begin to develop, appear, or expand

3. to begin to become apparent (to)

Other Word Forms

• dawnlike adjective
• undawned adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of dawn¹

First recorded before 1150; Middle English dawen (verb), Old English dagian, derivative of dæg day; akin to Old Norse daga, Middle Dutch, Middle Low German dagen, Old High German tagēn

Word History and Origins

Origin of dawn¹

Old English dagian to dawn; see _day

Idioms and Phrases

• crack of dawn
• light dawned

Example Sentences

Guards noticed the two men had fled on Thursday before dawn.

Read more on Barron's

The new evidence shows cat domestication didn't start at the dawn of agriculture - in the Levant.

Read more on BBC

The disaster struck at dawn on Wednesday -- late evening in mainland France -- in the eastern village of Afaahiti after a week of heavy rain.

Read more on Barron's

Gen Z, which grew up in the dawn of YouTube and, later, the emergence of TikTok, has generally favored short-form content over lengthier productions; however, “Stranger Things” became the exception.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

In the days before online shopping became ubiquitous, stores welcomed the mayhem by opening early for those who willingly woke up before dawn to push through crowds and snag the best door-buster deals.

Read more on MarketWatch

Related Words

• dawning 
• daybreak 
• daylight 
• morning