nocturnal

Meanings

Adjective

• Primarily active during the night.
• Taking place at night, nightly.

Noun

• A person or creature that is active at night.
• A device for telling the time at night, rather like a sundial but read according to the stars.

Related

Opposite words

• diurnal

Origin

• From Middle French nocturnal, from Latin nocturnus ("nocturnal, nightly"), from Latin nox ("night"), from Proto-Indo-European *nókʷts ("night"). Cognates include Ancient Greek νύξ, Sanskrit नक्ति, Old English niht (English night) and Proto-Slavic *noťь.