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
Australia has abandoned the daytime and gone nocturnal.
—
Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Nearly half the species in this stretch of forest are nocturnal, offering a rare chance to encounter species like red-eyed tree frogs and bats in their natural environments.
—Meghan Palmer, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Mar. 2026
Here to stay Coyotes are typically most active at dawn and dusk, but those living in cities often shift toward more nocturnal habits to avoid people, Richter said.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
As nocturnal creatures, this provides them with a comfortable space to freely roam about.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nocturnal
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Big Think, 31 Mar. 2026
Nearly half the species in this stretch of forest are nocturnal, offering a rare chance to encounter species like red-eyed tree frogs and bats in their natural environments.
—Meghan Palmer, Condé Nast Traveler, 29 Mar. 2026
Here to stay Coyotes are typically most active at dawn and dusk, but those living in cities often shift toward more nocturnal habits to avoid people, Richter said.
—Miriam Fauzia, Dallas Morning News, 26 Mar. 2026
As nocturnal creatures, this provides them with a comfortable space to freely roam about.
—Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 26 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nocturnal
Cite this Entry
“Nocturnal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nocturnal. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
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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