Etymology Map
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Today

2 stages from Old English to English.

Today it means on this present day; in the present period

Where does the word "today" come from? It comes from Old English tō dæge, adopted directly into English (1300s).

1
Stage 1 of 2
tō dæge
Old English · medieval
"on this day"
'on (this) day', tō being used in its old sense 'at, on'
2
Stage 2 of 2
today
English · 1300s
"on this day; nowadays"
commonly spelled 'to-day' until the early 1900s; NBC's Today show, first broadcast in 1952, pioneered morning television
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Read the full story

Today’s story begins in Old English: tō dæge meant “on this day.” 'on (this) day', tō being used in its old sense 'at, on'. It reached English by 1300s as today. Commonly spelled 'to-day' until the early 1900s; NBC's Today show, first broadcast in 1952, pioneered morning television. Today, today means on this present day; in the present period.