nocturnal
/nɒkˈtɜː.nəl/ IELTSAcademic
adjective
Active or happening at night. It often describes animals, habits, or work that are linked to nighttime.
- Bats are nocturnal animals.
- She has a nocturnal work schedule.
- The city feels different at nocturnal hours.
Adinary Nuance
Nocturnal is more specific than night-time. It usually describes living things, habits, or activity that happen mainly at night. Night-time is broader and can simply mean “during the night,” while nocturnal suggests a natural pattern or regular behavior.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- hoạt động về đêm
- Spanish
- nocturno
- Chinese
- 夜行的
- Japanese
- 夜行性の
- Korean
- 야행성의
Etymology
Nocturnal comes from Latin nocturnus, meaning “of the night.” It entered English through Old French in the late Middle Ages.
Common phrases
nocturnal animalsnocturnal habitsnocturnal lifenocturnal activity
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is nocturnal only used for animals?
- No. It can also describe people, habits, work, or activities at night.
- What is the difference between nocturnal and night-time?
- Nocturnal means mainly active at night. Night-time just means during the night.
- Is nocturnal formal or informal?
- It is a formal or neutral word. It is common in science and writing.
- Can I say a person is nocturnal?
- Yes, if they are usually awake and active at night.