This week’s theme
Words related to Pluto and its moons

This week’s words
plutonian
hydra
cerberus
nocturnal
stygian

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(nok-TUHR-nuhl)

MEANING:

adjective: Relating to, happening, or active at night.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin nocturnalis (of the night), from nox (night). Earliest documented use: 1485.

NOTES:

Pluto’s moon Nix is named after Nyx, the ancient Greek goddess personifying night. In Roman mythology she’s known as Nox. The Latin word for night, nox, also appears in such words as equinox (equal day and night) and noctambulation (sleepwalking).

USAGE:

“Getting around London late at night used to be expensive or time-consuming. Nocturnal groundlings can now get home more cheaply and reliably.”
After Dark; The Economist (London, UK); Oct 4, 2014.

See more usage examples of nocturnal in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: