nocturnal

adjective

noc·​tur·​nal näk-ˈtər-nᵊl How to pronounce nocturnal (audio)
Synonyms of nocturnalnext
1
: of, relating to, or occurring in the night
a nocturnal journey
nocturnal activities
2
: active at night
a nocturnal predator
nocturnal insects, such as mosquitoes
nocturnally
näk-ˈtər-nᵊl-ē How to pronounce nocturnal (audio)
adverb

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 

Examples of nocturnal in a Sentence

he bought a new telescope so he could pursue his favorite nocturnal hobby of astronomy
Recent Examples on the Web Their often nocturnal shifts, working while the city slept to ensure that daily newspapers would arrive each morning, meant missing everything from weddings to school plays. —Vincent Alban, Chicago Tribune, 19 May 2024 The three-day festival, produced by Insomniac Events, famously begins each day at sunset and then goes until dawn, with performances from several hundred DJs filling the nocturnal hours in between. —Katie Bain, Billboard, 17 May 2024 See all Example Sentences for nocturnal 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'nocturnal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, borrowed from Anglo-French & Late Latin; Anglo-French nocturnel, borrowed from Late Latin nocturnālis "for night use," from Latin nocturnus "of or occurring at night" (from noct-, nox night entry 1 + -urnus, temporal suffix, as in diurnus "of the day") + -ālis -al entry 1 — more at journal

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of nocturnal was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near nocturnal

nocturn

nocturnal

nocturnality

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Nocturnal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nocturnal. Accessed 31 May. 2024.

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Kids Definition

nocturnal

adjective
noc·​tur·​nal näk-ˈtərn-ᵊl How to pronounce nocturnal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or occurring in the night
a nocturnal journey
2
: active at night
nocturnal insects
nocturnally
-ᵊl-ē How to pronounce nocturnal (audio)
adverb
Etymology

from early French nocturnal, nocturnel or Latin nocturnalis, both meaning "nocturnal," derived from earlier Latin noct-, nox "night" — related to equinox

Medical Definition

nocturnal

adjective
noc·​tur·​nal näk-ˈtərn-ᵊl How to pronounce nocturnal (audio)
1
: of, relating to, or occurring at night
nocturnal myoclonus
2
: characterized by nocturnal activity
a nocturnal form of filariasis

More from Merriam-Webster on nocturnal

Nglish: Translation of nocturnal for Spanish Speakers

Britannica English: Translation of nocturnal for Arabic Speakers

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