vespertine

adjective

ves·per·tine | \ ˈve-spər-ˌtīn

How to pronounce vespertine (audio)

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Definition of vespertine

1 : of, relating to, or occurring in the evening vespertine shadows

2 : active, flowering, or flourishing in the evening : crepuscular

Did you know?

Imagine this vespertine scenario: Hesperus, the Evening Star, shines in a clear sky; little brown bats flutter near the treetops; somewhere in the distance a church bell calls worshippers to the evening service. Can you find three words that have linguistic counterparts to the Latin root vesper, which means "evening," hidden in that scene? The evening star was once known as Vesper (Hesperus is from the Greek word for "evening star"); vespertilian means "batlike" (the Latin name for a bat is vespertilio); and we still call an evening worship service vespers.

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Cite this Entry

“Vespertine.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/vespertine. Accessed 17 Aug. 2022.

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