morrow: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowFormal, Poetic, Archaic, Literary
Quick answer
What does “morrow” mean?
The following day, or the next day.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
The following day, or the next day.
The time immediately after an event, with a poetic or archaic connotation of the future.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in meaning or usage. The word is equally archaic in both varieties.
Connotations
Poetic, formal, archaic, with a slightly romantic or elevated tone. Common in titles, hymns, and traditional literature.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in everyday speech for both. May be slightly more familiar to British English speakers due to preservation in hymns and traditional texts like the Book of Common Prayer ('world without end, amen') and the Scottish ballad 'Auld Lang Syne' ('we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne').
Grammar
How to Use “morrow” in a Sentence
preposition + the morrow (on/until/till/to)the morrow + noun (morrow's dawn/morn)adjective + morrow (good morrow, bright morrow)Vocabulary
Collocations
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Virtually never used.
Academic
Only found in historical or literary analysis texts when quoting source material.
Everyday
Not used in contemporary everyday conversation except as a deliberate stylistic or humorous choice.
Technical
Not used.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “morrow”
- Using it in casual speech as a direct synonym for 'tomorrow' (sounds affected).
- Confusing 'morrow' with 'moor' or 'morrow' as a verb or adjective (it is exclusively a noun).
- Saying 'see you the morrow' (correct: 'see you ON the morrow' or 'till the morrow').
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it would sound very archaic and unnatural. Use 'tomorrow' for normal conversation.
It is an archaic greeting meaning 'good morning'. It is not used in modern English outside of historical reenactments or very specific literary contexts.
Yes, both words share the same root in Old English 'morgen', meaning 'morning'. 'Morrow' originally meant 'morning' and by extension 'the next morning' or 'the following day'.
No truly common ones. The fixed phrase 'See you on the morrow' or 'till the morrow' is occasionally used for stylistic effect, often humorously or poetically, but it is not standard modern usage.
The following day, or the next day.
Morrow is usually formal, poetic, archaic, literary in register.
Morrow: in British English it is pronounced /ˈmɒrəʊ/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈmɑːroʊ/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Good morrow (archaic greeting = good morning)”
- “On the morrow”
- “See you on the morrow”
- “Till the morrow”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of 'MORROW' as 'MORE ROW' - you'll do 'more rowing' starting 'tomorrow'.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A JOURNEY (the morrow is the next stage of the journey). THE FUTURE IS AN APPROACHING OBJECT (the morrow is coming).
Practice
Quiz
In which context is the word 'morrow' MOST likely to be found?