Definition of eve

The word "eve" originates from the Old English word æfen, which meant "evening" or "nightfall." It was derived from the Germanic stem *aba-, meaning "to depart" or "to fade," which also gave rise to words like "event" and "evaporate." In Middle English, the word evolved to mean "the last night or evening before a festival or special event," particularly associated with All Hallows Eve (later known as Halloween). This usage of "eve" is the result of the Middle English suffix -en, which is a historical grammatical ending used to denote time periods or stages. The meaning of "eve" as "tonight" or "this evening" is also a result of its derivation from "evening," which further evolved into contemporary English forms like "yestereve," "eve of," and "date uncertain but presumed to be prior to midnight." The root meaning of "eve" conveys a sense of transition or antecedence, suggesting that the event, festival, or day to come is nigh.