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
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Temperatures on its dayside climb high enough to vaporize metals, while previous studies have suggested that iron may condense and fall as rain on the cooler nightside. Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 16 June 2026 And somewhat unsurprisingly, JWST’s observations suggest these two halves are extremely different, with the planet’s morning dayside edge overcast with puffy clouds while the nightside’s evening edge is almost cloud-free. K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 21 May 2026 Clouds That Form And Vanish Daily Scientists believe the clouds form on the planet's cooler nightside before circulating toward the dayside via powerful atmospheric winds. Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 21 May 2026 Another photo shows the nightside of the whole Earth, featuring the Sun’s halo, auroras and city lights. Christye Sisson, The Conversation, 13 Apr. 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Nightside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nightside. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.

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