eve

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈēv 

1

: evening

2

: the evening or the day before a special day

3

: the period immediately preceding

Eve

2 of 2

noun (2)

ˈēv 

in the Bible : the first woman, the wife of Adam, and the mother of Cain and Abel

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• crepuscule
• crepuscle
• dusk
• evenfall
• evening
• eventide
• gloaming
• night
• nightfall
• sundown
• sunset
• twilight

Examples of eve in a Sentence

Noun (1)

from morn to eve the settlers toiled to eke a living from the harsh land

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

On the eve of a retrial this month, Knight would fight with his longtime lawyer, David Kenner, in open court and scuttle a last-minute deal. —Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 28 Apr. 2025

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited on the eve of a national election. —Jim Morris, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2025

Thomas’ case later became a flashpoint in the turbulent tenure of Alameda County District Attorney Pamela Price, amid claims that the county’s top prosecutor used her office as a political cudgel against Thomas’ attorney on the eve of trial. —Jakob Rodgers, Mercury News, 27 Apr. 2025

Norman-Lott earned a scholarship at Arizona State before his transfer to Tennessee on the eve of the 2023 spring semester. —Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 26 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English eve, even

Noun (2)

Old English Ēfe, from Late Latin Eva, from Hebrew Ḥawwāh

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing eve

• adam-and-eve

Rhymes for eve

• breve
• cleave
• cleeve
• cleve
• eave
• grieve
• heave
• leave
• lieve
• neve
• reeve
• sheave

Kids Definition

eve

noun

ˈēv 

1

: evening

2

: the evening or the day before a special day

New Year's Eve

3

: the period just before an important event