What does midday mean?
Midday means the middle part of the day, usually referring to noon or the period immediately around it. It is a more formal and precise alternative to saying noon and is common in schedules, announcements, descriptions of weather, and references to daily routines. For example, a midday meal may be the main meal of the day in some regions, while a midday break may be a short pause for eating or resting. The phrase “the midday sun” is especially familiar from descriptions of intense daytime heat and brightness. Although “midday” can indicate a clock time, it can also describe an event or period more generally, as in “a midday meeting.” In everyday speech, noon is often more direct, but midday has a slightly more formal or literary tone. The word is understood throughout the United Kingdom and the United States, with no major regional difference in meaning.
The period around the middle of the day, especially noon or the time immediately surrounding it.
"The shops close for a few hours at midday."
Usually singular in modern usage; the plural “middays” is uncommon.
Occurring or taking place around the middle of the day, especially at noon.
"They took a midday walk through the park."
This attributive use is common in phrases such as “midday meal” and “midday sun.”
Uncommon; the word is normally used in the singular when referring to the period around noon.
"Summer middays are especially hot in the city."
The word is almost a self-portrait of the clock: it literally names the middle of the day.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does midday come from?
“Midday” is a compound formed in the Middle English period from “mid,” meaning middle, and “day.” Its elements descend from Old English: “mid” came from a Germanic word meaning middle or central, while “day” developed from Old English “dæg.” Modern “midday” retains the straightforward sense of the middle portion of the day. The root shared with words such as “middle,” “midst,” and “midnight” also gives the word its modern spelling and meaning.
Related word forms
How midday is actually used
Midday is a neutral, formal time reference. It commonly means noon itself, but may also include the broader period surrounding noon.
Easily confused with midday
Midday refers to the middle of the daytime period, while midnight refers to the transition between one day and the next, around 12 a.m.