Date — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

noun verb /ˈdāt/

Meaning & Definition of Date

Date (noun)

  1. the brown, oblong edible fruit of a palm (Phoenix dactylifera)
  2. the tall palm with pinnate leaves that yields the date
  3. the time at which an event occurs
  4. a statement of the time of execution or making
  5. duration

Date (verb)

  1. to determine the period of time to which something belongs, to determine the date of
  2. to record the time of the execution or making of, mark with the date
  3. to mark with characteristics typical of a particular period

Date (noun) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. an agreement to be present at a specified time and place

    "I have a date to meet my financial consultant at seven o'clock"

    similar: appointment, assignation, engagement, rendezvous, tryst
    related: arrangement, invitation, interview, get-together, meeting, call, visit, schedule

  2. the period during which something exists, lasts, or is in progress

    "the embarrassingly short date of most of his romances"

    similar: continuance, duration, life, lifespan, lifetime, run, standing, time
    related: spell, stretch, span, tenure, term, hitch, tour, turn, half-life, age, longevity

Date (verb) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. to go on a social engagement with

    "I don't want to date him—I'd rather just be friends"

    similar: go out (with), take out
    related: accompany, escort, see, court, woo

  2. to go on dates that may eventually lead to marriage

    "we dated for two years before we got engaged"

    similar: court, go steady, keep company, make love
    related: attend, gallant, romance, spark, woo, escort, see, take out, go out, step out

Related Entry: Out-of-date (adjective)

Out-of-date is a different word from Date. The synonyms below are for out-of-date, not for date.

  1. having passed its time of use or usefulness

    "his file contained out-of-date information that might have been accurate when he was first hired but is no longer so"

    similar: antiquated, archaic, dated, démodé, demoded, fossilized, kaput, medieval, moribund, mossy, moth-eaten, neolithic, Noachian, obsolete, outdated, outmoded, outworn, passé, prehistoric, rusty, Stone Age, superannuated
    related: aging, obsolescent, discarded, disused, inoperable, unusable, unworkable, useless, dead, defunct, expired, extinct, vanished, dormant, fallow, free, idle, inactive, inert, inoperative, latent, ancient, antediluvian, antique, dateless, fusty, musty, old, oldfangled, old-fashioned, old-time, retro, vintage, aged, age-old, hoary, venerable, atavistic, bygone, erstwhile, former, historic, historical, late, old-world, past
    near: contemporary, current, mod, modern, new, newfangled, new-fashioned, present-day, recent, ultramodern, up-to-date, up-to-the-minute, fresh, modernized, refurbished, remodeled, renewed, functional, operable, operational, workable, active, alive, busy, employed, functioning, operating, operative

Related Entry: Up-to-date (adjective)

Up-to-date is a different word from Date. The synonyms below are for up-to-date, not for date.

  1. being or involving the latest methods, concepts, information, or styles

    "demanded the most up-to-date computer system available"

    similar: contemporary, current, designer, hot, mod, modern, modernistic, new, new age, new-fashioned, newfangled, present-day, red-hot, space-age, state-of-the-art, ultramodern, up-to-the-minute
    related: fashionable, happening, in, modish, nouvelle, now, stylish, last, latest, modernized, updated, futuristic, high-tech, latter-day, recent
    opposite: antiquated, archaic, dated, fusty, musty, oldfangled, old-fashioned, old-time, out-of-date, passé
    near: anachronistic, aged, age-old, ancient, antediluvian, hoary, old, venerable, bygone, former, late, olden, past, antique, historic, historical, retro, retrograde, kaput, obsolete, outmoded, outworn, unmodernized, old-world, discarded, disused, moth-eaten, forgotten, remote, ageless, dateless, timeless

  2. having information especially as a result of study or experience

    "I'm afraid that I'm not up-to-date on that issue"

    similar: abreast, acquainted, au courant, conversant, familiar, informed, knowledgeable, up, versed, well-informed, at home, in the know
    related: alive, aware, cognizant, conscious, heedful, mindful, sensible, sentient
    opposite: ignorant, unacquainted, unfamiliar, uninformed, unknowledgeable
    near: insensible, unaware, unconscious, unmindful, blind, oblivious, unknowing, unwitting, inattentive, unheeding

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Date

The most common words with a similar meaning to Date:

appointment, assignation, engagement, rendezvous, tryst, continuance, duration, life, lifespan, lifetime, run, standing, time, go out (with), take out, court, go steady, keep company, make love

Related Words for Date

arrangement, invitation, interview, get-together, meeting, call, visit, schedule, spell, stretch, span, tenure, term, hitch, tour, turn, half-life, age, longevity, accompany, escort, see, woo, attend, gallant, romance, spark, go out, step out

Word Forms of Date

Inflections: dated, dating

Derived words: datable (adjective), dater (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Date

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French (also continental Old French), borrowed (with -il perhaps taken as a suffix) from Old Occitan datil, going back to Latin dactylus "dactyl in verse, kind of date" dactyl

First known use: 14th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Date

Words & Phrases Containing Date

date of birth, date-rape, date rape, date-rape drug, date back, date back to, date from

Frequently Asked Questions about Date

What does "Date" mean?

"Date" means the brown, oblong edible fruit of a palm (Phoenix dactylifera). As an a noun and a verb, it is defined as: the brown, oblong edible fruit of a palm (Phoenix dactylifera). It has 4 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Date"?

Other words for "Date" include appointment, assignation, engagement, rendezvous, tryst, continuance, duration and life. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Date" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Date"?

There are 48 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Date". Common alternatives include appointment, assignation, engagement, rendezvous, tryst, continuance, duration, life, lifespan and lifetime.

How do you use "Date" in a sentence?

Examples of "Date" in a sentence: "I have a date to meet my financial consultant at seven o'clock"; "the embarrassingly short date of most of his romances"; "I don't want to date him—I'd rather just be friends".

Is "Date" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Date" can be used as a noun and a verb, depending on the context.

Is "Date" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As an A1-level word, "Date" is typical of Cambridge A1 Movers (Young Learners), TOEIC Listening & Reading 120+.

How do you pronounce "Date"?

"Date" is pronounced /ˈdāt/.

What is the origin of the word "Date"?

"Date" comes from Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French (also continental Old French), borrowed (with -il perhaps taken as a suffix) from Old Occitan datil, going back to Latin dactylus "dactyl in verse, kind of date" dactyl. First known use: 14th century.