midday
gb/mˈɪddˌeɪ/ us/mˈɪddˌeɪ/
A2
English
~ 9000
Senses
0 senses
Noun
A2
entity
1
the middle of the day, noon
The time in the middle of the day, usually at 12:00, when morning ends and afternoon begins.
Usage pattern:
[something] happens at midday
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse "midday" with "midnight" because the words look similar. "Midday" is the middle of the day (about 12:00 in the daytime), while "midnight" is the middle of the night (00:00). Another mistake is using an article where it is not needed, as in *"at the midday"*; the natural phrase is "at midday" without an article.
Synonyms
noon (The most common and direct synonym; often used for exactly 12:00 rather than the general period around it.)
|
noonday (Slightly literary or old-fashioned in modern use; emphasizes the exact middle of the day.)
Antonyms
midnight (Refers to the middle of the night, the opposite time of day from midday.)
Collocations
at midday
|by midday
|around midday
|before midday
|after midday
|approach midday
Themes
daily life
|time
|work
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The meeting is scheduled for midday, so please be on time.
- By midday the streets were already crowded with shoppers.
- We reached the top of the mountain around midday.
- She usually feels most tired just before midday.
- The heat was strongest at midday, so we stayed indoors.
Learner examples
- We had lunch at midday.
- The train arrives at midday.
- I will call you around midday.
- By midday, I was very hungry.
- The shop opens at eight and closes at midday.
adjective
B1
property
2
happening at or near midday
Happening or used in the middle of the day.
Usage pattern:
midday [noun]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *"the sun at midday is very midday"* instead of using "midday" before the noun, as in "the midday sun is very hot." Another issue is using "midday" where a different adjective is more natural, for example saying *"midday movie"* instead of the more common "afternoon movie" or simply "a movie at midday."
Synonyms
noonday (Can modify nouns in a similar way but sounds literary or old-fashioned (e.g. "noonday sun").)
|
lunchtime (Often used before nouns in casual speech (e.g. "lunchtime break"), but focuses on the meal rather than strictly the time of day.)
Antonyms
late-night (Describes things happening very late in the evening or at night, contrasting with events that occur around midday.)
Collocations
midday sun
|midday heat
|midday break
|midday meal
|midday nap
|midday news
Themes
daily life
|time
|weather
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- We took a short midday break to eat and rest.
- The midday sun was so strong that we looked for shade.
- She watches the midday news every weekday.
- I love a quick midday nap when I work from home.
- The café offers a special midday menu for office workers.
Learner examples
- We have a midday break at work.
- The midday sun is very hot in summer.
- He always listens to the midday news on the radio.
- I sometimes take a midday nap on Sunday.
- They serve a cheap midday meal at that restaurant.
Grammar
Expressions
around midday
1/ɚˈaʊnd mˈɪddˌeɪ/
fixed phrase
approximately at midday
At a time close to midday, but not exactly at 12:00.
Examples
- The package should be delivered around midday.
- I usually get hungry again around midday.
- We left the city around midday to avoid the traffic.
at midday
1/ˈæt mˈɪddˌeɪ/
fixed phrase
exactly at the middle of the day
At the middle of the day, usually at about 12:00 in the day.
Examples
- The shop closes for an hour at midday.
- We usually eat our biggest meal at midday.
- The alarm is tested at midday every Friday.
by midday
1/bˈaɪ mˈɪddˌeɪ/
fixed phrase
no later than midday
Before or at midday, but not after that time.
Examples
- Please send me the report by midday.
- The guests should arrive by midday so we can start cooking.
- The snow had melted by midday.