Nightpieces

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A category of literature or art that depicts nighttime scenes or themes
2. compositions that are characterized by their critical reflection on darkness or night
3. works that evoke feelings or atmospheres associated with nocturnal experiences

Etymology: "Nightpieces" is the plural of "nightpiece," a compound of "night" and "piece." The pairing is transparent: "night" is the ordinary English word, inherited from Old English "niht," and "piece" in the sense of a work of art, a painting, drawing, or composition, the same sense found in phrases like "a piece of music" or "a landscape piece." Together they name a picture or work devoted to nocturnal scenes. The plural applies to a group of such works, whether a set of paintings by one artist or a collection gathered under a common theme. Because the compound is built openly from two familiar words, its meaning is recoverable without special knowledge: a nightpiece is simply a piece of art about the night, and the plural simply counts several of them.