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• eve
  eve

  noun

  the evening or the day before a holiday, church festival, or any date or event.
• Eve
  Eve

  noun

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

eve

¹ American  

[eev] / iv /

noun

• eves
  plural

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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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• eves
  plural

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

See Examples For:

eve Eve eves

Speaking on the eve of the championships, she welcomed the strong competition and said achieving gold on British soil would mean as much as her Olympic triumph.

From BBC ● Aug. 15, 2026

On the eve of the election, Zambia's Human Rights Commission said it was "actively monitoring arrests and detentions involving political candidates, supporters, journalists and other actors".

From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026

And there was something fun about playing with the eve of a day that is usually fraught with peril.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 6, 2026

The annual event is traditionally held on the eve of the main party conference in September and aims to get women more involved in policy making.

From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026

Plum trees, only lately introduced like Merlyn’s mulberry, might be shedding blossom under the light of eve beside the playground.

From "The Once and Future King" by T. H. White

Before Shane graduated high school, the last time Chevy Metal played a hometown show was at the Viper Room on New Year’s Eve.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

This month, Eve achieved its first transition flight, showing its prototype can take off vertically like a helicopter and move into flight like an airplane, which is one of the most challenging phases of development.

From Barron's ● Aug. 10, 2026

Eve Sandle, who was also on the flight with her mum, received a text from airline TUI saying "some of your bags on TOM810 may not have arrived today," and advising passengers of next steps.

From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026

Abstinence campaigns have gathered ground in many countries in recent years, notably the trend to pursue a "Dry January" after Christmas and New Year's Eve excesses.

From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026

Christmas Eve was also a time when the children could tease their father and know there would be no sudden explosion or descent into fury.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

Up All Night‘s” epilogue considers the post-pandemic remnants of the glamorous, somewhat gluttonous eves of yore and the effects that smartphones, social media and streaming have had on the art of going out.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

Norway on Tuesday introduced a 10-person limit for gatherings at private homes, although the number will be increased to 20 on Christmas and New Year’s eves.

From Seattle Times ● Dec. 9, 2021

“Umbrellas were useless,” reported The Times, “the overflow from eves, awning and other projections were miniature Niagaras.”

From New York Times ● Sep. 20, 2017

Games occur in practice gyms, or intramural gyms, or gym-gyms, or in the real thing on game eves.

From Washington Post ● Mar. 29, 2017

“No. I . . .” “Speak up, sir. Why are you so strangely suspicious? Your eves are literally flickering with paranoia.”

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

Related Words

• brink
• night
• verge