diurnal

adjective

Save Word

di·ur·nal | \ dī-ˈər-nᵊl

Definition of diurnal

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a biology : active chiefly in the daytime diurnal animals

b : of, relating to, or occurring in the daytime the city's diurnal noises

c botany : opening during the day and closing at night diurnal flowers

2a : recurring every day diurnal tasks

b : having a daily cycle diurnal tides

diurnal

noun

Definition of diurnal (Entry 2 of 2)

1 : journal sense 1a

2 archaic : diary, daybook

Other Words from diurnal Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More About diurnal

Keep scrolling for more

Examples of diurnal in a Sentence

Adjective a love as constant and certain as the diurnal tides Noun a microfilm containing a collection of diurnals published by 19th-century American abolitionists

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Measurements are taken in the morning, afternoon and evening to accurately capture the diurnal warming of a city. — Haley Brink And Derek Van Dam, CNN, 2 June 2021 The diurnal vertical migration includes trillions of tiny animals, many in the larval stage, that rise from depths of 1,000 feet or more to just beneath the surface to feed. — Erik Olsen New York Times, Star Tribune, 15 Apr. 2021 The diurnal vertical migration includes trillions of tiny animals, many in the larval stage, that rise from great depths of 1,000 feet or more to just beneath the surface to feed. — New York Times, 30 Mar. 2021 In the past year, that emphasis on diurnal rhythms has become pertinent in a way that Rountree could not have anticipated. — Alex Ross, The New Yorker, 22 Feb. 2021 Other plants perform a similar diurnal dance, including agriculturally important crops such as soybeans, cotton and alfalfa. — Heidi Ledford, Scientific American, 15 July 2014 The first is the basic diurnal nature of renewable generation—solar doesn’t generate at night, after all, and wind generation is often low midday. — Nathaniel Bullard, Bloomberg.com, 8 June 2020 Our song bird species are diurnal (daytime) feeders and eat insects that are active during the day. — oregonlive, 6 June 2020 This diurnal pattern is also seen on Mars—something scientists weren’t expecting to detect from the surface. — National Geographic, 24 Feb. 2020

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'diurnal.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.