What does noontide mean?
Noontide is a literary word for noon, meaning the middle of the day and the time around twelve o'clock. It often appears in writing that emphasizes the brightness, stillness, or intensity of midday: the noontide sun, for example, suggests sunlight at its strongest. The word is not an everyday synonym in conversation, and modern speakers would normally use noon or midday instead. Its unusual form gives it a slightly elevated, old-fashioned quality, making it especially effective in poetry, historical prose, and descriptions of landscapes or buildings under the midday sun. Noontide should not be confused with the ordinary high point of a tide or with a time-related technical term; in ordinary English usage, its principal meaning is simply noon.
nounNoontide means noon or midday, especially as a period of time. It is now mainly used in literary or archaic writing.
- Noon or midday, especially the period around twelve o'clock.
"The village bells rang at noontide, when the sun stood high over the fields."
"Workers rested in the shade at noontide."
"The noontide light made the old stone walls glow."
The plural is rare because noontide is mainly used in literary or archaic contexts.
"The novel describes the quiet noontides of the coastal town."
Noontide turns the familiar hour of noon into a vivid picture of sunlight at its height.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of noontide
Noontide is a compound of noon and tide. The word tide originally referred to the regular rising and falling of the sea, but in tide-like expressions it can also mean a period or a turn of events. Noon itself comes from Old English nōn, meaning “the ninth hour,” and the modern twelve o’clock sense reflects the change from an ancient system that counted the day from sunrise. The compound noontide became established in older English and survives chiefly in literary usage.
Related word forms
How noontide is actually used
Literary, poetic, or archaic in modern English; ordinary speakers usually say noon or midday.
Easily confused with noontide
Noon is the standard modern word for twelve o'clock in the day, while noontide is a more literary or archaic synonym.