nightside

noun

night·​side ˈnīt-ˌsīd How to pronounce nightside (audio)
: the side of a celestial body (such as the earth, the moon, or a planet) not in daylight

Examples of nightside in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The Resilience Lander will set down in the area below Timaeus, to the left of Archytas, fairly close to the line dividing the dayside and nightside of the lunar surface, known as the terminator. Anthony Wood, Space.com, 4 June 2025 However, in some cases, lightning strikes happened mostly on the nightside, just past the day-night terminator line. Paul Sutter, Space.com, 20 May 2025 Its star-facing dayside is scorching, while its nightside is much cooler. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025 During the flyby, BepiColombo, which was launched on Oct. 20, 2018, came to within around 185 miles (295 kilometers) of Mercury's nightside, facing away from the sun. Robert Lea, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for nightside

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nightside was in 1848

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Nightside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nightside. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!