Night

Part of speech: noun

Pronunciation: /naɪt/

Definitions

1. The duration that occurs after evening, characterized by the absence of sunlight, during which individuals commonly engage in rest or sleep, and often signifies elements of enigma or peril
2. This phase is defined as the interval of limited light following day, typically when slumber is prevalent among the populace, and frequently symbolizes secrecy or risk
3. The span of time when the sky is dark, lying between the end of daylight and the arrival of dawn, often associated with rest and quietness

Etymology: The most striking thing about "night" is how far back it reaches. Its ancestor is a reconstructed Proto-Indo-European form, *nókʷts, and the same root turns up across a remarkable spread of languages. Its cousins include German "Nacht," Dutch "nacht," Swedish "natt," Russian "ночь" (nočʹ), Latin "nox," and Greek "nýchta." Old English "niht" was one branch of this large family, so the English word is a relative of the words for night across much of Europe and into South Asia, where Sanskrit has "nákt." The Latin cousin deserves a note. "Nox" passed into English as a separate, learned borrowing, now found mostly in technical and poetic contexts, so English effectively holds two descendants of the same ancient root. The native "night" came down through Middle English as "nighte" and "niht," while the Latin form arrived by a different route entirely.

Synonyms: evening, nighttime, darkness, nocturnal hours, dusk

Antonyms: day, morning, sunlight, daylight, brightness