antedawn
|an-te-dawn|
🇺🇸
/ˌæn.tiˈdɑːn/
🇬🇧
/ˌæn.tiˈdɔːn/
before dawn
Etymology
'antedawn' originates from Latin prefix 'ante-' meaning 'before' combined with English 'dawn'.
'ante-' has been used as a Latin-derived prefix in English compounds (e.g. 'antedate'); 'dawn' comes from Old English 'dagian'/'dawn' meaning 'to become day' and developed into the modern noun 'dawn', and the compound 'antedawn' formed in English by joining the prefix and noun.
Initially built from elements meaning 'before' and 'dawn', the compound has consistently meant 'before sunrise' and has retained that basic sense.
Meanings by Part of Speech
Noun 1
the period of time just before dawn; the hours immediately preceding sunrise.
In the antedawn everything felt still and new.
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Adjective 1
occurring or existing before dawn; taking place in the period just before sunrise.
We took an antedawn walk along the shore.
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Idioms
Last updated: 2025/08/21 17:23