Origin: before 1150; Middle English dawen (v.), Old English dagian, derivative of dægday; akin to Old Norse daga,Middle Dutch, Middle Low German dagen,Old High German tagēn
c.1500, shortened from dawning, dawing (c.1300), from O.E. dagung, from dagian "to become day," from root of dæg "day" (see day). Probably influenced by a Scandinavian word (cf. Dan. dagning, O.N. dagan). The noun is first recorded c.1600.