nighttime

noun

night·​time ˈnīt-ˌtīm How to pronounce nighttime (audio)
often attributive
: the time from dusk to dawn

Examples of nighttime in a Sentence

The animal hunts in the nighttime. before electricity, gas lamps were used for illumination during the nighttime
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.
This Indigenous-run, four-bedroom lodge offers nighttime excursions to track black caimans, the largest alligator species. Becca Blond, AFAR Media, 5 Feb. 2025 So, the first step in getting your child to sleep without you is to create a nighttime routine. Lauryn Higgins, Parents, 3 Feb. 2025 The Adams administration already spent vast amounts of overtime on subway crime and recently began placing two cops on every nighttime train. Graham Rayman, New York Daily News, 2 Feb. 2025 Daytime and nighttime temperatures will remain 5-10 degrees below normal. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for nighttime 

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nighttime was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near nighttime

Cite this Entry

“Nighttime.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nighttime. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.

Kids Definition

nighttime

noun
night·​time ˈnīt-ˌtīm How to pronounce nighttime (audio)
: the time from dusk to dawn
nighttime adjective

Legal Definition

nighttime

noun
night·​time
1
: the time from dusk to dawn
2
: a statutorily set period usually beginning shortly after dusk and ending shortly after dawn

More from Merriam-Webster on nighttime

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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