What does "nighttime" mean?

1. (the period of darkness) the time when it is dark outside, after the evening and before the morning. 2. (happening at night) happening or used during the night.

nighttime — meaning, definition & examples

Word

01the period of darkness

A2 · Elementary Uncountable noun

n. the time when it is dark outside, after the evening and before the morning.

n. the period of darkness between the end of evening and the beginning of dawn.

“The city looks very different at nighttime when all the lights are on.”

“During the winter months, nighttime lasts significantly longer, affecting the local wildlife's hunting patterns and energy conservation.”

Synonyms

night dark

Antonyms

daytime

02happening at night

B1 · Intermediate

adj. happening or used during the night.

adj. occurring, active, or used during the night; typically used in an attributive position before a noun.

“He enjoys taking nighttime walks through the quiet park.”

“The hospital increased its nighttime staff to ensure that emergency admissions were handled with the same efficiency as daytime cases.”

Usage

Usually placed before the noun it describes.

Synonyms

nocturnal

Antonyms

diurnal

From Middle English nyght tyme, nyȝttyme, equivalent to night + time. Compare Dutch nachttijd, German Nachtzeit, Danish nattetid, Swedish nattetid. Compare also Middle English nyȝter tyme (“nighttime”), from Old Norse náttartími, nætrtími (“nighttime”).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

NOUN