Day vs. Date — What's the Difference?
Edited by Tayyaba Rehman — By Fiza Rafique — Updated on September 21, 2023
"Day" refers to a 24-hour period or a specific part of that period like morning or evening. "Date" refers to a specific day as identified by the day, month, and possibly the year. A "day" is a unit of time, while a "date" is a point on a calendar.
Difference Between Day and Date
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
"Day" is a term that primarily refers to a 24-hour cycle, constituting day and night, which is the standard unit to measure time. It's often further divided into morning, afternoon, evening, and night. The word "day" can be used in broader contexts to refer to a period characterized by specific conditions, like "a rainy day."
"Date," on the other hand, is more specific. It identifies a particular day within the context of a calendar, usually represented by a combination of the day, month, and sometimes the year. Dates can mark special occasions, holidays, or appointments. While the word "day" describes a generalized time frame, "date" pinpoints a specific calendar day.
While both "day" and "date" can be used to talk about specific points in time, they are used in different contexts. "Day" is generally more flexible and can be used to describe a range of time frames, like "the longest day of the year." "Date" is rigid in that it refers to a fixed point in time, like "the date of the meeting is July 4th."
In summary, "day" and "date" both have to do with the measurement of time, but they are used differently. "Day" refers to a period that can be general or specific but is not tied to a calendar, whereas "date" refers to a specific day as determined by the calendar.
Comparison Chart
Definition
A 24-hour period
A specific calendar day
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Context
General or Specific
Specific
Flexibility
More flexible
Less flexible
Use
To describe a time period
To identify a point in time
Specificity
Can be vague
Always specific
Compare with Definitions
Day
A 24-hour period consisting of day and night.
The day is divided into 24 hours.
Date
A specific day as defined by the calendar.
The date today is September 21st.
Day
The time between sunrise and sunset.
The day was incredibly sunny.
Date
An appointment for a particular time and place.
She has a lunch date.
Day
A specific but unspecified time.
Back in my day, things were different.
Date
The duration of an object's usefulness.
Check the expiration date.
Day
A day is approximately the period during which the Earth completes one rotation around its axis, which takes around 24 hours. A solar day is the length of time which elapses between the Sun reaching its highest point in the sky two consecutive times.
Date
The time stated in terms of the day, month, and year
What is the date of your birth?.
Day
The period of light between dawn and nightfall; the interval from sunrise to sunset.
Date
A statement of calendar time, as on a document.
Day
The 24-hour period during which the earth completes one rotation on its axis, traditionally measured from midnight to midnight.
Date
A particular point or period of time at which something happened or existed, or is expected to happen
The date of their wedding.
Day
The period during which a celestial body makes a similar rotation.
Date
Dates The years of someone's birth and death
Beethoven's dates were 1770 to 1827.
Day
One of the numbered 24-hour periods into which a week, month, or year is divided.
Date
The time during which something lasts; duration
"Summer's lease hath all too short a date" (Shakespeare).
Day
The portion of a 24-hour period that is devoted to work, school, or business
An eight-hour day.
A sale that lasted for three days.
Date
The time or historical period to which something belongs
Artifacts of a later date.
Day
A 24-hour period or a portion of it that is reserved for a certain activity
A day of rest.
Date
An appointment
A luncheon date with a client.
Day
A specific, characteristic period in one's lifetime
In Grandmother's day, skirts were long.
Date
An engagement to go out socially with another person, often out of romantic interest.
Day
A period of opportunity or prominence
Every defendant is entitled to a day in court. That child will have her day.
Date
One's companion on such an outing.
Day
A period of time in history; an era
We studied the tactics used in Napoleon's day. The day of computer science is well upon us.
Date
An engagement for a performance
Has four singing dates this month.
Day
Days Period of life or activity
The sick cat's days will soon be over.
Date
The sweet, edible, oblong or oval fruit of the date palm, containing a narrow, hard seed.
Day
Of or relating to the day.
Date
A date palm.
Day
Working during the day
The day nurse.
Date
To mark or supply with a date
Date a letter.
Day
Occurring before nightfall
A day hike.
Date
To determine the date of
Date a fossil.
Day
Any period of 24 hours.
I've been here for two days and a bit.
Date
To betray the age of
Pictures of old cars date the book.
Day
A 24-hour period beginning at 6am or sunrise.
Your 8am forecast: The high for the day will be 30 and the low, before dawn, will be 10.
Date
To go on a date or dates with.
Day
A period from midnight to the following midnight.
The day begins at midnight.
Date
To have origin in a particular time in the past
This statue dates from 500 BC.
Day
(astronomy) Rotational period of a planet (especially Earth).
A day on Mars is slightly over 24 hours.
Date
To become old-fashioned.
Day
The part of a day period which one spends at one’s job, school, etc.
I worked two days last week.
Date
To go on dates.
Day
Part of a day period between sunrise and sunset where one enjoys daylight; daytime.
Day and night;
I work at night and sleep during the day.
Date
The fruit of the date palm, Phoenix dactylifera, somewhat in the shape of an olive, containing a soft, sweet pulp and enclosing a hard kernel.
We made a nice cake from dates.
Day
A specified time or period; time, considered with reference to the existence or prominence of a person or thing; age; time; era#Noun.
Every dog has its day;
In that day;
Back in the day;
In those days
Date
The date palm.
There were a few dates planted around the house.
Day
A period of contention of a day or less.
The day belonged to the Allies.
Date
The addition to a writing, inscription, coin, etc., which specifies the time (especially the day, month, and year) when the writing or inscription was given, executed, or made.
The date of a letter, of a will, of a deed, of a coin, etc.
US date : 05/24/08 = Tuesday, May 24th, 2008. UK date : 24/05/08 = Tuesday 24th May 2008.
Day
(Judaism) A time period from a nightfall until the following nightfall
Date
A specific day in time at which a transaction or event takes place, or is appointed to take place; a given point of time.
The date for pleading
The start date for the festival is September 2.
Do you know the date of the wedding?
We had to change the dates of the festival because of the flooding.
Day
To spend a day (in a place).
Date
A point in time.
You may need that at a later date.
Day
The time of light, or interval between one night and the next; the time between sunrise and sunset, or from dawn to darkness; hence, the light; sunshine; - also called daytime.
Date
(rare) Assigned end; conclusion.
Day
The period of the earth's revolution on its axis. - ordinarily divided into twenty-four hours. It is measured by the interval between two successive transits of a celestial body over the same meridian, and takes a specific name from that of the body. Thus, if this is the sun, the day (the interval between two successive transits of the sun's center over the same meridian) is called a solar day; if it is a star, a sidereal day; if it is the moon, a lunar day. See Civil day, Sidereal day, below.
Date
(obsolete) Given or assigned length of life; duration.
Day
Those hours, or the daily recurring period, allotted by usage or law for work.
Date
A pre-arranged meeting.
I arranged a date with my Australian business partners.
Day
A specified time or period; time, considered with reference to the existence or prominence of a person or thing; age; time.
A man who was great among the Hellenes of his day.
If my debtors do not keep their day, . . . I must with patience all the terms attend.
Date
One's companion for social activities or occasions.
I brought Melinda to the wedding as my date.
Day
Preceded by the) Some day in particular, as some day of contest, some anniversary, etc.
The field of Agincourt,Fought on the day of Crispin Crispianus.
His name struck fear, his conduct won the day.
Date
A romantic meeting or outing with a lover or potential lover, or the person so met.
We really hit it off on the first date, so we decided to meet the week after.
We slept together on the first date.
The cinema is a popular place to take someone on a date.
Day
Time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis;
Two days later they left
They put on two performances every day
There are 30,000 passengers per day
Date
(transitive) To note the time or place of writing or executing; to express in an instrument the time of its execution.
To date a letter, a bond, a deed, or a charter
Day
Some point or period in time;
It should arrive any day now
After that day she never trusted him again
Those were the days
These days it is not unusual
Date
(transitive) To note or fix the time of (an event); to give the date of.
Day
The time after sunrise and before sunset while it is light outside;
The dawn turned night into day
It is easier to make the repairs in the daytime
Date
(transitive) To determine the age of something.
To date the building of the pyramids
Day
A day assigned to a particular purpose or observance;
Mother's Day
Date
(transitive) To take (someone) on a date, or a series of dates.
Day
The recurring hours when you are not sleeping (especially those when you are working);
My day began early this morning
It was a busy day on the stock exchange
She called it a day and went to bed
Date
To have a steady relationship with; to be romantically involved with.
Day
An era of existence or influence;
In the day of the dinosaurs
In the days of the Roman Empire
In the days of sailing ships
He was a successful pianist in his day
Date
To have a steady relationship with each other; to be romantically involved with each other.
They met a couple of years ago, but have been dating for about five months.
Day
A period of opportunity;
He deserves his day in court
Every dog has his day
Date
(ambitransitive) To make or become old, especially in such a way as to fall out of fashion, become less appealing or attractive, etc.
This show hasn't dated well.
The comedian dated himself by making quips about bands from the 1960s.
Day
The period of time taken by a particular planet (e.g. Mars) to make a complete rotation on its axis;
How long is a day on Jupiter?
Date
To have beginning; to begin; to be dated or reckoned.
Day
The time for one complete rotation of the earth relative to a particular star, about 4 minutes shorter than a mean solar day
Date
The fruit of the date palm; also, the date palm itself.
Day
United States writer best known for his autobiographical works (1874-1935)
Date
That addition to a writing, inscription, coin, etc., which specifies the time (as day, month, and year) when the writing or inscription was given, or executed, or made; as, the date of a letter, of a will, of a deed, of a coin. etc.
And bonds without a date, they say, are void.
Day
A particular period of importance or influence.
This is the day of technological advancements.
Date
The point of time at which a transaction or event takes place, or is appointed to take place; a given point of time; epoch; as, the date of a battle.
He at once,Down the long series of eventful time,So fixed the dates of being, so disposedTo every living soul of every kindThe field of motion, and the hour of rest.
Day
The part of a day spent working.
He's on the day shift today.
Date
Assigned end; conclusion.
What Time would spare, from Steel receives its date.
Date
Given or assigned length of life; dyration.
Good luck prolonged hath thy date.
Through his life's whole date.
Date
To note the time of writing or executing; to express in an instrument the time of its execution; as, to date a letter, a bond, a deed, or a charter.
Date
To note or fix the time of, as of an event; to give the date of; as, to date the building of the pyramids.
The letter is dated at Philadephia.
You will be suprised, I don't question, to find among your correspondencies in foreign parts, a letter dated from Blois.
In the countries of his jornal seems to have been written; parts of it are dated from them.
Date
To have beginning; to begin; to be dated or reckoned; - with from.
The Batavian republic dates from the successes of the French arms.
Date
The specified day of the month;
What is the date today?
Date
A particular day specified as the time something will happen;
The date of the election is set by law
Date
A meeting arranged in advance;
She asked how to avoid kissing at the end of a date
Date
A particular but unspecified point in time;
They hoped to get together at an early date
Date
The present;
They are up to date
We haven't heard from them to date
Date
A participant in a date;
His date never stopped talking
Date
The particular day, month, or year (usually according to the Gregorian calendar) that an event occurred;
He tried to memorizes all the dates for his history class
Date
Sweet edible fruit of the date palm with a single long woody seed
Date
Go on a date with;
Tonight she is dating a former high school sweetheart
Date
Stamp with a date;
The package is dated November 24
Date
Assign a date to; determine the (probable) date of;
Scientists often cannot date precisely archeological or prehistorical findings
Date
Date regularly; have a steady relationship with;
Did you know that she is seeing an older man?
He is dating his former wife again!
Date
Provide with a dateline; mark with a date;
She wrote the letter on Monday but she dated it Saturday so as not to reveal that she procrastinated
Date
A person one has a romantic appointment with.
He's her date for the evening.
Date
To determine the age of something.
The artifact was dated to the 5th century.
Common Curiosities
Is "Date" used to mark events?
Yes, "date" often marks specific events or appointments.
Can "Day" refer to just daytime?
Yes, "day" can refer to the period between sunrise and sunset.
What does "Date" typically refer to?
"Date" identifies a specific calendar day.
Can "Day" refer to the past?
Yes, like "back in the day."
Does "Day" indicate specificity?
It can be either specific or general.
Is "Date" always specific?
Yes, "date" is always specific.
What does "Day" typically refer to?
"Day" usually refers to a 24-hour period or a part of it.
Can "Day" be used in an abstract sense?
Yes, like "in this day and age."
Can "Date" refer to the age of an object?
Yes, as in "carbon dating."
Can "Date" refer to a romantic meeting?
Yes, "date" can refer to a romantic appointment.
Is "Date" tied to a calendar?
Yes, "date" is a point on the calendar.
Is "Day" tied to a calendar?
No, "day" is a unit of time but not tied to a calendar.
Does "Day" have plural form?
Yes, "days."
Does "Date" have a plural form?
Yes, "dates."
Can "Day" and "Date" be used interchangeably?
Generally, no. They refer to different aspects of time.
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Written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
Edited by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
