mid-morning
UK[ˌmɪd ˈmɔːnɪŋ]US[ˌmɪd ˈmɔːrnɪŋ]
adj
Occurring in the middle of the morning.
n
The middle part of the morning.
Morpheme Breakdown
mid
morning
mid
middle
morning
the early part of the day
Etymology
The word "mid-morning" is a transparent English compound formed from two native elements. The combining form "mid," with Proto-Germanic origins meaning "middle," has been consistently used in English to denote a central position within a timeframe or space. It is attached to "morning," a word descended from Old English morgen, which itself has deep Proto-Germanic roots related to the dawn and the beginning of the day. The compound logically and literally describes the period equidistant from the start and end of the conventional morning hours. This pattern of using "mid-" is highly productive in English, creating clear, self-explanatory terms for temporal divisions.
Analysis
Structure: mid (middle) + morning (the early part of the day)
- mid: From Old English midd, meaning "middle." It functions as a combining form to indicate the central point or period of something.
- morning: From Middle English morwening, based on Old English morgen, meaning "morning." It functions as the base noun specifying the time of day.
Examples
We took a mid-morning break for coffee and pastries.
The sun was already high in the sky by mid-morning.
She scheduled the meeting for mid-morning to avoid the early rush.