NOCTURNAL

nocturnal

(adjective) belonging to or active during the night; “nocturnal animals are active at night”; “nocturnal plants have flowers that open at night and close by day”

nocturnal

(adjective) of or relating to or occurring in the night; “nocturnal darkness”

Source: WordNet® 3.1


Etymology

Adjective

nocturnal (comparative more nocturnal, superlative most nocturnal)

(of a person, creature, group, or species) Primarily active during the night.

(of an occurrence) Taking place at night, nightly.

Antonyms

• diurnal

Coordinate terms

• crepuscular

Noun

nocturnal (plural nocturnals)

A person or creature that is active at night.

(historical) A device for telling the time at night, rather like a sundial but read according to the stars.

Synonym: star clock

Source: Wiktionary


Noc*tur"nal, a. Etym: [L. nocturnalis, nocturnus, fr. nox, noctis, night. See Night, and cf. Nocturn.]

1. Of, pertaining to, done or occuring in, the night; as, nocturnal darkness, cries, expedition, etc.; -- opposed to Ant: diurnal. Dryden.

2. Having a habit of seeking food or moving about at night; as, nocturnal birds and insects.

Noc*tur"nal, n.

Definition: An instrument formerly used for taking the altitude of the stars, etc., at sea. I. Watts.

Source: Webster’s Unabridged Dictionary 1913 Edition



RESET




Word of the Day

9 May 2025

RIGHT

(noun) anything in accord with principles of justice; “he feels he is in the right”; “the rightfulness of his claim”


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Coffee Trivia

According to Guinness World Records, on 25 September 2016, the Birla Institute of Management Technology (India) in Uttar Pradesh, India, constructed the largest coffee cups pyramid consisting of 23,821 cups. They used paper takeaway coffee cups to build the pyramid.

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