Etimology
From Middle English today, to-daie, todæig, from Old English tōdæġ, tō dæġe (“today”, literally “on [the/this] day, [this] day forward”), equivalent to to + day. Compare Saterland Frisian däälich (“today”), Dutch vandaag (“today”), Old Saxon hindag (“today”, literally “[this] day forward”), German Low German vandage, vandaag (“today”), Swedish i dag, idag (“today”).
adverb
today (not comparable)
On the current day or date.
In the current era; nowadays; these days.
(informal) The day of a recurring cycle or event which is currently happening.
Examples
I want this done today.
Today, my brother went to the shops.
In the 1500s, people had to do things by hand, but today we have electric can openers.
Private-equity nabobs bristle at being dubbed mere financiers. […] Much of their pleading is public-relations bluster. Clever financial ploys are what have made billionaires of the industry’s veterans. “Operational improvement” in a portfolio company has often meant little more than promising colossal bonuses to sitting chief executives if they meet ambitious growth targets. That model is still prevalent today.
We used to prepare everything today, but now we split it over two days.
noun
today (plural todays)
A current day or date.
(informal or meteorology) From approximately 6am to 6pm on the current day.
The present time period; nowadays.
Examples
Synonyms: current day, this day
Today is the day we'll fix this once and for all.
The youth of today have never known what life is like without a cell phone.
Yesterday, upon the stair / I met a man who wasn’t there / He wasn’t there again today / I wish, I wish he’d go away …
adjective
today (not comparable)
(informal) Current; up to date.
Examples
Synonym: now
Actually, it's more like the blues. It's pop blues. I feel it's very American. It's very today. It's what people respond to today.
[…] she is so today, so white boots and yé-yé, that she can make anyone over 25 feel prehistoric, raccoon coat and rah-rah.