UNTIL
What does "UNTIL" mean?
Up to the point in time or the event mentioned; before a specified time.
Meanings
- Up to (a particular time or event). The shop stays open until midnight on Fridays.
- Up to the time that; before the moment when. Wait here until I call you.
Did you know?
- The 'un-' that begins 'until' is a false friend: unlike 'unhappy' or 'untie', it has nothing to do with 'not' — it descends from Old Norse 'und', meaning 'up to'.
Word origin
From Middle English 'until', combining Old Norse 'und' ('up to, as far as') with 'till' ('to'); the 'un-' here means 'up to', not 'not'.
Remember it
UNTIL = 'un' + 'til': only ONE L, because 'til' lent the other to 'until's silent past.
A little poem
The kettle holds its breath, and so do I-
small word that pins us to a future thing,
until the whistle lets the morning by.
tercet
Wordplay
- I'll keep telling time-related jokes until you laugh. So far the wait has been the punchline.
What it teaches
'Until' marks a door, not a wall: it names exactly where the waiting ends.
Quick facts
What does UNTIL mean?
Up to the point in time or the event mentioned; before a specified time.
Is UNTIL a valid word?
Yes — UNTIL is one of the answer words in Wordul, the daily word game.
How many letters is UNTIL?
UNTIL has 5 letters and 2 syllables.
Where does UNTIL come from?
From Middle English 'until', combining Old Norse 'und' ('up to, as far as') with 'till' ('to'); the 'un-' here means 'up to', not 'not'.
What can UNTIL teach us?
'Until' marks a door, not a wall: it names exactly where the waiting ends.
How players do
Be the first to solve it.