What does "nocturnal" mean?
A person or creature that is active at night.
Nocturnal
/nɑkˈtɝ.nəl/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Uncommon ·Advanced level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A person or creature that is active at night.
- Grammar: nocturnal is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: after dark, bedtime, lucifugous, midnight.
- Useful contrasts: diurnal, nonnocturnal, aurorean.
- Usage evidence: These are a kind of nocturnal flower.
How to use "nocturnal"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "nocturnal" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "nocturnal" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "nocturnal" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "nocturnal" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "nocturnal" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "after dark" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "nocturnal", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A person or creature that is active at night.
- 2 A device for telling the time at night, rather like a sundial but read according to the stars. historical
"A rather different instrument was the nocturnal: it enabled you to tell the time at night, provided you knew the date, from the position of the stars in the constellation of the Great Bear, which rotate around the Pole Star."
Adjective
- 1 Primarily active during the night.
"nocturnal birds"
- 2 Taking place at night, nightly.
"a suspicious nocturnal outing"
Adjective
- 1 belonging to or active during the night wordnet
- 2 of or relating to or occurring in the night wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsAntonyms
Example
"These are a kind of nocturnal flower."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "nocturnal"?
Common synonyms include: after dark, bedtime, lucifugous, midnight, midnight, moonlighting.
How do you use "nocturnal" in a sentence?
These are a kind of nocturnal flower.
How do you pronounce "nocturnal"?
Pronounced /nɑkˈtɝ.nəl/.
Etymology
From Middle French nocturnal, from Latin nocturnus (“nocturnal, nightly”), from Latin nox (“night”), from Proto-Indo-European *nókʷts (“night”). Cognates include Ancient Greek νύξ (núx), Sanskrit नक्ति (nákti), Old English niht (English night) and Proto-Slavic *noťь.