Word
Definitions
0112:00 at night
A1 · Beginner Uncountable noun
n. exactly 12:00 at night, when one day ends and the next begins.
n. the point in time at which one day ends and the next begins, fixed at 24:00.
日本語:零時※
“The party didn't finish until after midnight, so we were very tired.”
“The deadline for the scholarship application is midnight on Tuesday, so ensure your documents are uploaded before the system locks.”
Usage
usually used with the preposition 'at'
Pitfall
I will meet you at the midnight.
I will meet you at midnight.
Do not use 'the' before 'midnight' when referring to the specific time of day.
Synonyms
02the middle of the night
B1 · Intermediate Uncountable noun
n. the darkest part of the night, between evening and morning.
n. the period of maximum darkness or the middle portion of the night, often used relationally rather than as a precise clock time.
日本語:真夜中※
“He woke up in the middle of the midnight and couldn't fall back asleep.”
“The forest was silent in the deep midnight, with only the occasional rustle of leaves breaking the stillness.”
Teaching tip
While sense 1 is a precise point in time, this sense refers to the general period of deep night.
Synonyms
03very dark
B2 · Upper Intermediate Literary
adj. describing a very dark blue or black colour.
adj. denoting a color of intense darkness, typically a very deep blue or black.
“She wore a beautiful midnight blue dress to the wedding.”
“The car was painted a sleek midnight black that shimmered under the streetlights of the city.”
Usage
usually placed before the noun it describes
Teaching tip
Commonly found in fashion or literature to describe 'midnight blue' or 'midnight black'.
Synonyms
Etymology
From Middle English midnight, from Old English midniht, from Proto-Germanic *midjanahts (“midnight”), equivalent to mid- + night. Cognate with Saterland Frisian Midnoacht (“midnight”), Old High German mittinaht (“midnight”), Danish midnat (“midnight”), Swedish midnatt (“midnight”), Icelandic miðnætti (“midnight”). Compare also Saterland Frisian Middernoacht (“midnight”), Dutch middernacht (“midnight”), German Mitternacht (“midnight”).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A1 MoversIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.2.0–3.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 1.0–1.50–23TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.120–224
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- A1 · BeginnerOxford
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/midnight
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「日本語」「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0