DictionaryAI

morning

MOR-ning/ˈmɔɹnɪŋ/MAW-ning/ˈmɔːnɪŋ/

Pluralmornings

4 meanings of morning

Practice

  1. 1
    start of daynouncountable or uncountable
    The early part of the day, mainly from sunrise until noon (by the clock, from midnight); in older use, until the main meal.

    She always feels most focused in the morning, before the office gets busy.

    Heavy rain fell throughout the morning and well into the afternoon.

    UsageSay in the morning, but on Monday morning, and no preposition with this or tomorrow (not incorrect: in this morning).

    Oppositeevening

  2. 2
    greetinginterjectionabbreviationellipsis
    Ellipsis of good morning: a casual greeting used when meeting someone early in the day.

    "Morning," the commuters muttered to one another on the crowded platform.

    She gave a quick "Morning" to her colleagues and headed for the kitchen.

    UsageInformal; sometimes written 'morning to show that *good* was dropped.

    Note

    The greeting with its first word dropped. The full good morning has a wider range, including a rare use as a farewell and a joking one for someone who has just woken, whatever the hour.

    Checked 2 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

    • The greeting morning is an ellipsis of good morning. en.wiktionary.org
    • Good morning also has a less common parting sense. en.wiktionary.org
    • Good morning has a humorous extended sense addressed to someone who has just awakened, regardless of the hour. en.wiktionary.org
  3. 3
    early stagenounfiguratively
    The early or beginning part of anything.

    In the morning of his reign, the young king pushed through sweeping reforms.

    The company, still in the morning of its existence, struggled to win its first customers.

    UsageMostly in the morning of something: the morning of his reign.

    Similardawn, beginning, infancy, start (entry)

    Oppositeend, twilight

Less common meaning

  1. 4
    noundialectalScotland
    The first alcoholic drink of the day, taken on rising; a morning draught.

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Origin

Middle English created the word morwenyng by attaching the suffix -ing to morwen. If you simply look at its parts today, it reads as morn plus -ing. The word morrow, which was morwe in Middle English, is related.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts