noon

noon — noun

1. the time at 12:00 in the daytime, when the sun is at its highest point in the sk

1.nounA2
Definition

the time at 12:00 in the daytime, when the sun is at its highest point in the sky and people typically take a lunch break or a rest.

Example

The library closes at noon every Wednesday for staff training.

collocation: at noon

Théo's flight landed at noon, just in time for lunch with his cousins.

Common collocations
  • at noon
  • around noon
  • by noon
  • before noon
  • noon break
  • noon sun
  • noon meeting
Synonyms
  • midday

    Slightly broader — 'midday' can refer to the general middle part of the day, while 'noon' is exactly 12:00.

Antonyms
  • midnight

    Exactly 12:00 at night; the opposite end of the 24-hour cycle.

Grammar Patterns

noon [noun phrase]

at / around / by noon

Usage Note

Frequently paired with the prepositions 'at', 'around', 'by', and 'before'. Also commonly used as a modifier before another noun, such as 'noon meeting', 'noon sun', or 'noon break'.

Common Mistakes

I will meet you at noon o'clock.
I will meet you at noon.
Do not add 'o'clock' after 'noon' or 'midnight'.
Idioms

morning, noon and night

idiom

This phrase means all the time, without stopping, or very frequently.

Maya practices the piano morning, noon and night for her upcoming concert.

Does Brian really study morning, noon and night for his exams?

Word family

  • midday
    nounA2
  • noonday
    adjectiveC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three refer to points or periods of time, but they sit at opposite ends of the clock. 'Noon' (A2) is strictly 12:00 in the daytime — the moment the sun is overhead. 'Midday' (A2) can mean the same thing, but is often used more loosely to mean the middle part of the day, from about 11:00 to 14:00. 'Midnight' (A2) is the 12:00 point of the night. A learner might confuse 'noon' and 'midnight' because both use the 'at' preposition in the same way ('at noon' / 'at midnight'), but the contexts are completely opposite. For example: 'The café is busy at noon but empty at midnight.'

midday ↗noon ↗midnight ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinGermanicEnglish

From Old English 'nōn', originally meaning 'the ninth hour after sunrise' (around 3:00 PM), borrowed from Latin 'nōna hōra'. When church schedules shifted in medieval times, the meaning moved earlier in the day to land at 12:00.