-
- To save this word, you'll need to log in.
plural in form but singular or plural in construction
: the 15th day of March, May, July, or October or the 13th day of any other month in the ancient Roman calendar
broadly
: this day and the seven days preceding it
Examples of ides in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Beware the ides of May, when the broadcast networks unveil their fall schedules at upfronts, touting a crop of new shows that just might contain the Next Big Thing (or not).
—Dan Snierson, EW.com, 13 May 2022
Roman general and statesman Julius Caesar was famously stabbed to death at the Curia of Pompey on the ides of March in 44 BCE.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 2 Apr. 2022
The Curia of Pompey is famous for being the site where Julius Caesar was stabbed to death on the ides of March in 44 BCE.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 17 Feb. 2022
Here is the full account, translated from the Latin: On the 7th of the ides of June [1195], around the sixth hour, a marvellous sign descended near London.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 5 Feb. 2022
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Word History
Etymology
Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin idus
First Known Use
15th century, in the meaning defined above
Time Traveler
The first known use of ides was
in the 15th century
Articles Related to ides
The Words of the Week - Mar. 17
Dictionary lookups from the law, politics, and springtime
Words of the Week - March 18
Dictionary lookups from the Irish Prime Minister, Ukrainian defense measures, and the Ides of March
Words of the Week: March 13, 2016
Holidays and Politics (still) drove people to the dictionary
Dictionary Entries Near ides
Cite this Entry
“Ides.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ides. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
ides
plural noun
: the 15th day of March, May, July, or October or the 13th day of any other month in the ancient Roman calendar
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share