morrow
noun
- tomorrow.
- the next day.
Origin of morrow
Words nearby morrow
Definition for morrow (2 of 2)
noun
VOCAB BUILDER
What does morrow mean?
Morrow is a literary or poetic way of saying tomorrow or the next day.
In some cases, it’s also used to mean the morning or the period after something.
Morrow is most often seen in old poetry and literature. No one uses the word morrow in everyday speech unless they’re trying to mimic a poetic style or sound like a character from an old play.
Example: There’s never enough time today—if only we could borrow from the morrow.
Where does morrow come from?
The first records of morrow come from the 1200s. It comes from the Old English morgen, meaning “morning.” The same root gives us the words morn and morning. (The word tomorrow is a combination of morrow and to, which is used in the same way in the words today and tonight.)
Morrow appears in one of Shakespeare’s most famous lines from one of his most famous plays, Romeo and Juliet: “Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow,/ That I shall say good night till it be morrow.” Juliet is saying that she’s just going to keep saying “good night” all night long so they don’t have to part. (Basically like two people who keep saying “I love you” to each other on the phone because neither of them wants to be the first one to hang up.)
Shakespeare wasn’t the only one to use morrow. It was commonly used by poets and writers for centuries to refer to the next day, the morning, or a period of time following a specific event (like how we metaphorically use yesterday to refer to the past and tomorrow to refer to the future).
Because it was used to refer to the morning, it ended up being used in the greeting good morrow, meaning “good morning,” and the phrase the morrow, meaning “tomorrow morning.”
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How is morrow used in real life?
Morrow is considered archaic, literary, or poetic. If someone uses it today, it’s to imitate such a style.
I'm taking a break from photography today. Let the morrow surprise me. Everything in moderation.
— Longhairedgit (@lhgmk2) April 27, 2020
snuggling in bed… and this is where I shall stay till morrow…go away world but still be here when I wake. blah blah blah 🙂
— Kirstie Alley (@kirstiealley) January 24, 2013
Good morrow, sir, it is I again, the chicken wanter, mayhaps this fine morn you might beseech me with an offer of some chicken pic.twitter.com/7Y4OSPctFZ
— August J. Pollak (@AugustJPollak) April 21, 2020
Try using morrow!
Which of the following terms is NOT a synonym for morrow?
A. tomorrow
B. today
C. morning
D. the next day