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
Spotted skunks are nocturnal and are found mainly in remote areas.
—
Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 4 Feb. 2026
These nocturnal insects are often found in warmer climates and can hide in household cracks, crevices, or even bedding.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 30 Jan. 2026
The exact origin of TikTok’s owl trend is currently unknown, but the nocturnal birds have been surprisingly well-represented on the short-form video site for the last couple of years.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The bed is surrounded by almost 360 degrees of glass, and schools of fish, octopus and squid regularly travel by (at night, dim lights are activated to attract nocturnal marine life).
—Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 28 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nocturnal
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Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 4 Feb. 2026
These nocturnal insects are often found in warmer climates and can hide in household cracks, crevices, or even bedding.
—Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 30 Jan. 2026
The exact origin of TikTok’s owl trend is currently unknown, but the nocturnal birds have been surprisingly well-represented on the short-form video site for the last couple of years.
—Dani Di Placido, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
The bed is surrounded by almost 360 degrees of glass, and schools of fish, octopus and squid regularly travel by (at night, dim lights are activated to attract nocturnal marine life).
—Catherine Garcia, TheWeek, 28 Jan. 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 Feb. 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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