Definify.com
Webster 1913 Edition
Nocturnal
1.
Of, pertaining to, done or occuring in, the night;
as,
; – opposed to nocturnal
darkness, cries, expedition, etc.diurnal
. Dryden.
Noc-tur′nal
,Noun.
An instrument formerly used for taking the altitude of the stars, etc., at sea.
I. Watts.
Webster 1828 Edition
Nocturnal
NOCTURN'AL
,Adj.
1.
Pertaining to night; as nocturnal darkness.2.
Done or happening at night; as a nocturnal expedition or assault; a nocturnal visit.3.
Nightly; done or being every night.From gilded roofs depending lamps display nocturnal beams, that emulate the day.
NOCTURN'AL
,Noun.
Definition 2024
nocturnal
nocturnal
English
Adjective
nocturnal (comparative more nocturnal, superlative most nocturnal)
- (of a person, creature, group, or species) Primarily active during the night.
- nocturnal birds
- (of an occurrence) Taking place at night, nightly.
- 2013 January 1, Paul Bartel, Ashli Moore, “Avian Migration: The Ultimate Red-Eye Flight”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 1, page 47–48:
- Many of these classic methods are still used, with some modern improvements. For example, with the aid of special microphones and automated sound detection software, ornithologists recently reported […] that pine siskins (Spinus pinus) undergo an irregular, nomadic type of nocturnal migration.
- a suspicious nocturnal outing
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Antonyms
Derived terms
Terms derived from nocturnal
Coordinate terms
Translations
primarily active during the night
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taking place at night
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.
Old French
Adjective
nocturnal m (oblique and nominative feminine singular nocturnale)
References
- (fr) Godefroy, Frédéric, Dictionnaire de l'ancienne langue française et de tous ses dialectes du IXe au XVe siècle (1881) (nocturnal)