Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary - date

 I. noun  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, ultimately from Latin dactylus — more at dactyl  Date: 14th century  1. the oblong edible fruit of a palm (Phoenix dactylifera)  2. the tall palm with pinnate leaves that yields the ~  II. noun  Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin data, from data (as in data Romae given at Rome), feminine of Latin datus, past participle of dare to give; akin to Latin dos gift, dowry, Greek didonai to give  Date: 14th century  1.  a. the time at which an event occurs the ~ of his birth  b. a statement of the time of execution or making the ~ on the letter  2. duration  3. the period of time to which something belongs  4.  a. an appointment to meet at a specified time; especially a social engagement between two persons that often has a romantic character  b. a person with whom one has a usually romantic ~  5. an engagement for a professional performance (as of a dance band)  III. verb  (~d; dating)  Date: 15th century  transitive verb  1. to determine the ~ of ~ an antique  2. to record the ~ of ; mark with the ~  3.  a. to mark with characteristics typical of a particular period  b. to show up plainly the age of  4. to make or have a ~ with  intransitive verb  1. to reckon chronologically  2. originate a friendship dating from college days  3. to become ~d  4. to go out on usually romantic ~s  • datable also ~able adjective  • ~r noun