tiding

noun

tid·​ing ˈtī-diŋ How to pronounce tiding (audio)
: a piece of news
usually used in plural
good tidings

Did you know?

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin, goes a line from the popular 16th-century carol "We Wish You a Merry Christmas." Another carol, "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" (1833), speaks of "tidings of comfort and joy." Although there is nothing inherent in the meaning or origin of "tiding" that specifically pertains to Christmas (it derives via Middle English from Old English and relates to betide, meaning "to happen especially by fate"), we most often see the word in contexts pertaining to the Christmas season. The most notable usage, perhaps, occurs in Luke 2:10 of the King James Bible, when the angel delivers the news of the arrival of the Savior: "Fear not: for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people."

Examples of tiding in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The View once again brought tidings of political doomsday to the Hot Topics table, as Vice President Kamala Harris became the latest figure of immense power to use the show's platform to warn Americans against the dangers of lifting up Donald Trump in the 2024 presidential race. Joey Nolfi, EW.com, 17 Jan. 2024 Each color, each flower represents a message of good tidings and good luck for the new year and are used as gifts and to decorate homes for the holiday. Heather McRea, Orange County Register, 25 Feb. 2024 Although many in the industry took this as a harbinger of grim tidings, McMillan tempered this by focusing on the word adaptability on the following page. Mike Desimone and Jeff Jenssen, Robb Report, 11 Feb. 2024 There are no angels for the Magi, no servant of the Lord proclaiming glad tidings or offering a reassuring word. Casey Cep, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2023 Ateliers across the globe rejoiced at the Renaissance tidings more than anyone else. Vulture, 1 Dec. 2023 The holidays have arrived, ushering in glad tidings and a heaping dose of Christmas cheer along with them. Sarah Lemire, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Nov. 2023 But are these fashion-y boy-angels truly bearers of good tidings? José Criales-Unzueta, Vogue, 2 Nov. 2023 There’s a chill in the air, leaves litter the ground, and houses up and down on your street are decked out with ghouls, goblins and all manner of grim tidings. Lars Brandle, Billboard, 26 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'tiding.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English tīdung, from tīdan to betide

First Known Use

12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of tiding was in the 12th century

Podcast

Dictionary Entries Near tiding

Cite this Entry

“Tiding.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tiding. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

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