nocturnal
adjective
noc·tur·nal
näk-ˈtər-nᵊl 
1
: of, relating to, or occurring in the night
a nocturnal journey
nocturnal activities
2
: active at night
a nocturnal predator
nocturnal insects, such as mosquitoes
Examples of nocturnal in a Sentence
he bought a new telescope so he could pursue his favorite nocturnal hobby of astronomy
Recent Examples on the Web
These include their nocturnal lifestyle and their strong odor.
Smart and friendly, the world’s largest rodent (weighing more than 100 pounds) is social and gentle.
—
Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024
The boy tries to warn his family about his nocturnal premonitions, but when nobody takes him seriously, the boy must face the beast on his own.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
Looking ahead, Perlman hopes to expand his research to include nocturnal behaviors and environmental influences on stingray behavior.
—Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Do Lights Keep Cockroaches Away? While cockroaches are nocturnal and are most active at night, keeping lights on is not a deterrent.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for nocturnal 
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Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024
The boy tries to warn his family about his nocturnal premonitions, but when nobody takes him seriously, the boy must face the beast on his own.
—John Hopewell, Variety, 5 Nov. 2024
Looking ahead, Perlman hopes to expand his research to include nocturnal behaviors and environmental influences on stingray behavior.
—Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 3 Nov. 2024
Do Lights Keep Cockroaches Away? While cockroaches are nocturnal and are most active at night, keeping lights on is not a deterrent.
—Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 31 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for nocturnal
Dictionary Entries Near nocturnal
Cite this Entry
“Nocturnal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nocturnal. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
nocturnal
adjective
noc·tur·nal
näk-ˈtərn-ᵊl
1
: of, relating to, or occurring in the night
a nocturnal journey
2
: active at night
nocturnal insects
Etymology
from early French nocturnal, nocturnel or Latin nocturnalis, both meaning "nocturnal," derived from earlier Latin noct-, nox "night" — related to equinox
Medical Definition
nocturnal
adjective
noc·tur·nal
näk-ˈtərn-ᵊl
1
: of, relating to, or occurring at night
nocturnal myoclonus
2
: characterized by nocturnal activity
a nocturnal form of filariasis
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