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Writing for the theater, you find yourself living a nocturnal life.
Irwin Shaw

Meaning of "nocturnal" in the English dictionary

Dictionary
DICTIONARY
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ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD NOCTURNAL

From Late Latin nocturnālis, from Latin nox night.
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Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.
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PRONUNCIATION OF NOCTURNAL

nocturnal  [nɒkˈtɜːnəl] play
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GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF NOCTURNAL

noun
adjective
verb
adverb
pronoun
preposition
conjunction
determiner
exclamation
Nocturnal is an adjective.
The adjective is the word that accompanies the noun to determine or qualify it.

WHAT DOES NOCTURNAL MEAN IN ENGLISH?

nocturnal

Nocturnality

Nocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by activity during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal". Nocturnal creatures generally have highly developed senses of hearing, smell, and specially adapted eyesight. Such traits can help animals like the Helicoverpa zea moths avoid predators. Some animals, such as cats and ferrets, have eyes that can adapt to both low-level and bright day levels of illumination. Others, such as bushbabies and bats, can function only at night. Many nocturnal creatures including tarsiers and some owls have large eyes in comparison to their body size in order to compensate for the lower light levels during the night. Diurnal animals, including squirrels and songbirds, are active during the daytime. Crepuscular species, such as rabbits, skunks, cats, and hyenas, are often erroneously referred to as nocturnal. Cathemeral species, such as fossas and lions, are active both day and night. While most humans are diurnal, for various personal and social/cultural reasons some people are temporarily or habitually nocturnal.

Definition of nocturnal in the English dictionary

The first definition of nocturnal in the dictionary is of, used during, occurring in, or relating to the night. Other definition of nocturnal is active at night. Nocturnal is also having flowers that open at night and close by day.

WORDS THAT RHYME WITH NOCTURNAL


asternal
æˈstɜːnəl
coeternal
ˌkəʊɪˈtɜːnəl
colonel
ˈkɜːnəl
diuturnal
ˌdaɪjʊˈtɜːnəl
episternal
ˌɛpɪˈstɜːnəl
eternal
ɪˈtɜːnəl
eviternal
ˌiːvɪˈtɜːnəl
external
ɪkˈstɜːnəl
fraternal
frəˈtɜːnəl
hesternal
hɛˈstɜːnəl
internal
ɪnˈtɜːnəl
journal
ˈdʒɜːnəl
kernel
ˈkɜːnəl
maternal
məˈtɜːnəl
paternal
pəˈtɜːnəl
sempiternal
ˌsɛmpɪˈtɜːnəl
sternal
ˈstɜːnəl
substernal
sʌbˈstɜːnəl
ternal
ˈtɜːnəl
unmaternal
ˌʌnməˈtɜːnəl

WORDS THAT BEGIN LIKE NOCTURNAL

noctambulism
noctambulist
noctiluca
noctilucae
noctilucence
noctilucent
noctilucous
noctivagant
noctivagation
noctivagous
noctuary
noctuid
noctule
noctuoid
nocturia
nocturn
nocturnal emission
nocturnality
nocturnally
nocturne

WORDS THAT END LIKE NOCTURNAL

bimaternal
carnal
cisternal
confraternal
contubernal
cothurnal
diurnal
hibernal
hodiernal
house journal
semidiurnal
supernal
tarnal
trade journal
urnal
vernal

Synonyms and antonyms of nocturnal in the English dictionary of synonyms

SYNONYMS

SYNONYMS OF «NOCTURNAL»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «nocturnal» and belong to the same grammatical category.
synonyms of nocturnal

Translation of «nocturnal» into 25 languages

TRANSLATOR
online translator

TRANSLATION OF NOCTURNAL

Find out the translation of nocturnal to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.
The translations of nocturnal from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «nocturnal» in English.

Translator English - Chinese

夜间发生的
1,325 millions of speakers

Translator English - Spanish

nocturno
570 millions of speakers

English

nocturnal
510 millions of speakers

Translator English - Hindi

रात
380 millions of speakers
ar

Translator English - Arabic

ليلية
280 millions of speakers

Translator English - Russian

ночной
278 millions of speakers

Translator English - Portuguese

noturno
270 millions of speakers

Translator English - Bengali

নিশাচর
260 millions of speakers

Translator English - French

nocturne
220 millions of speakers

Translator English - Malay

Waktu malam
190 millions of speakers

Translator English - German

nächtlich
180 millions of speakers

Translator English - Japanese

夜にする
130 millions of speakers

Translator English - Korean

밤의
85 millions of speakers

Translator English - Javanese

Nocturnal
85 millions of speakers
vi

Translator English - Vietnamese

thuộc về ban đêm
80 millions of speakers

Translator English - Tamil

இரவு நேரங்களில்
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Marathi

रात्रीचा
75 millions of speakers

Translator English - Turkish

gece
70 millions of speakers

Translator English - Italian

notturno
65 millions of speakers

Translator English - Polish

nocnej
50 millions of speakers

Translator English - Ukrainian

нічної
40 millions of speakers

Translator English - Romanian

nocturn
30 millions of speakers
el

Translator English - Greek

νυκτόβια
15 millions of speakers
af

Translator English - Afrikaans

nagtelike
14 millions of speakers
sv

Translator English - Swedish

nattlig
10 millions of speakers
no

Translator English - Norwegian

nattdyr
5 millions of speakers

Trends of use of nocturnal

TRENDS

TENDENCIES OF USE OF THE TERM «NOCTURNAL»

The term «nocturnal» is quite widely used and occupies the 27.800 position in our list of most widely used terms in the English dictionary.
0
100%
FREQUENCY
Quite widely used
87
/100
The map shown above gives the frequency of use of the term «nocturnal» in the different countries.
Principal search tendencies and common uses of nocturnal
List of principal searches undertaken by users to access our English online dictionary and most widely used expressions with the word «nocturnal».

FREQUENCY OF USE OF THE TERM «NOCTURNAL» OVER TIME

The graph expresses the annual evolution of the frequency of use of the word «nocturnal» during the past 500 years. Its implementation is based on analysing how often the term «nocturnal» appears in digitalised printed sources in English between the year 1500 and the present day.

Examples of use in the English literature, quotes and news about nocturnal

EXAMPLES

8 QUOTES WITH «NOCTURNAL»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word nocturnal.
1
John Banville
We writers are shy, nocturnal creatures. Push us into the light and the light blinds us.
2
Big Boi
I'm nocturnal when it comes to recording - I'm just more creative at night.
3
Bat for Lashes
I've hidden behind my hair more than clothes. Sometimes having long hair with a fringe is very useful when you don't want to look at people. I used to have very short hair, but long hair is my thing - a black nocturnal shield.
4
Nigel Dennis
My first serious project was photographing badgers - very, very difficult as they are shy and nocturnal.
5
Siri Hustvedt
Most of us accept that although we may believe our dreams to be real events, upon waking, we can tell the difference between nocturnal hallucinations and reality.
6
Federico Garcia Lorca
With their souls of patent leather, they come down the road. Hunched and nocturnal, where they breathe they impose, silence of dark rubber, and fear of fine sand.
7
Manuel Puig
What better model of a synthesis than a nocturnal dream? Dreams simplify, don't they?
8
Irwin Shaw
Writing for the theater, you find yourself living a nocturnal life.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «NOCTURNAL»

Discover the use of nocturnal in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to nocturnal and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.
1
Nocturnal
For centuries, their race has lived beneath the earth, emerging only at night, to feed quietly on the dregs of society and slip back into the shadows.
Scott Sigler, 2012
2
Nocturnal witchcraft: magick after dark
A guide to practical techniques & rituals focusing on the darker mysteries of witchcraft.
Konstantinos, 2002
3
Owls, bats, wolves and other nocturnal animals
Explores the world of nocturnal animals, including the lynx, owl, raccoon, bat and tarantula.
Kris Hirschmann, 2003
4
Nocturnal Animals
Examines the world of nocturnal animals and discusses such topics as how they live, their highly developed senses, and behavior and adaptations to avoid predators during the day.
Clive Roots, 2006
5
Nocturnal Animals
How do over-sized eyes help tarsiers see at night? How do bats find food in the dark? These nocturnal animals have some fascinating ways to survive in the dark. Discover the amazing things nocturnal animals do when the sun goes down.
Michael Dahl, 2012
6
The Pebble First Guide to Nocturnal Animals
"A basic field guide format introduces 13 nocturnal animals. Includes color illustrations and range maps"--Provided by publisher.
Joanne Mattern, Gail Saunders-Smith, 2010
7
Nocturnal America
Winner of the Prairie Schooner Book Prize in Fiction, this collection of loosely connected tales returns readers to the American Northwest so finely observed and powerfully evoked in John Keeble’s previous, celebrated works.
John Keeble, 2006
8
Nocturnal Obsession
Nocturnal ObsessionLolita LopezNormally, dreams are peaceful respites, but lately, Desi's are nothing short of erotic adventures-with the oh-so-sexy Dr. Ian Cuvos playing ringmaster.
Lolita Lopez, 2007
9
Nocturnal Urges
Nocturnal Urges - Nocturnal Urges By Elizabeth DonaldIt's the most popular club in the Memphis nightlife. Part legal bordello, part feeding ground for the city's vampires, Nocturnal Urges offers pleasure and pain in one sweet kiss.
Elizabeth Donald, 2005
10
Nocturnal: Book 3 in the Werecat Saga
READ TIME: 92 MINUTES About the Movie Book: With the hope for a feral cure now lost-due to the death of Dr. Jack Tanner-Major Rathbone, Salvatore, and Rebecka Hayes set off for the werecat and human safehold in the Olympic Mountains.
Jami Lynn Saunders, Rich Dalglish, 2012

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «NOCTURNAL»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term nocturnal is used in the context of the following news items.
1
New research finds Kiwi evolved to cope with nocturnal life
They are the only nocturnal ratites and have a highly-developed sense of smell, huge eggs compared to their body size and a low metabolic ... «Stuff.co.nz, Jul 15»
2
Kids at St. Mary's Catholic School in Canton learn about nocturnal
CANTON - Pre-K students at St. Mary's Catholic School in Canton learned about some nocturnal animals and colored fox masks to take home. «North Country Now, Jul 15»
3
Spree of arrests, nocturnal raids in IOK condemned
Srinagar, July 20 (KMS): In occupied Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF) Chairman, Muhammad Yasin Malik, the Chairman of Jammu and ... «Kashmir Media Service, Jul 15»
4
Nocturnal Journal 7/18/15: One longtime CPS employee's story, The …
This week on the Journal: a case study in human interest. Recently retired CPS jack-of-all trades Ira Starks talks abut her long career in the ... «WGN Radio, Jul 15»
5
Asus X550JK: Appeases all but the nocturnal gamer
Most gamers are nocturnal and unfortunately, this laptop's keyboard becomes almost useless in the dark. If you're running a game like Arkham ... «Business Standard, Jul 15»
6
After dark: Hike with nocturnal creatures in the Greenbelt
A walk through the woods, a living "wall of moths," an exhibit of local and exotic moths and a dance inspired by the nocturnal creatures are all ... «SILive.com, Jul 15»
7
Nocturnal Iftar Picnic in Istanbul {Peregrine Paris Photo}
First of all, Eid Mubarak / Şeker Bayramınız Kutlu Olsun ! as today marks the start of the 3-day festival following the end of Ramadan, also called ... «Mimi Froufrou, Jul 15»
8
Moth Mania sheds light on variety of nocturnal insects
Ruppersburg and her colleagues at other Metro Parks hope park visitors will gain a similar fondness for the winged, mostly nocturnal creatures ... «Columbus Dispatch, Jul 15»
9
Zoo puts spotlight on nocturnal animals
The education staff at the zoo will be giving tours for children ages 7 and older and their families during the nocturnal animal-themed night. «Valley morning Star, Jul 15»
10
Nocturnal Frequency to serenade the night
Nocturnal Frequency is a combination of some of the area's most notable and upcoming bands we think are amazing musicians that we want ... «Sandusky Register, Jul 15»

REFERENCE
« EDUCALINGO. Nocturnal [online]. Available <https://educalingo.com/en/dic-en/nocturnal>. May 2024 ».
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