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What is the difference between nocturnal and diurnal?

nocturnal | diurnal | Antonyms |

Nocturnal is an antonym of diurnal.

Diurnal is an antonym of nocturnal.


As adjectives the difference between nocturnal and diurnal

is that nocturnal is primarily active during the night while diurnal is happening or occurring during daylight, or primarily active during that time.

As a noun diurnal is

a flower that opens only in the day.

nocturnal

English

Adjective

(-)
  • Primarily active during the night.
  • (of an occurrence) Taking place at night.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-01-01
    • , author=Paul Bartel, Ashli Moore , title=Avian Migration: The Ultimate Red-Eye Flight , volume=101, issue=1, page=47–48 , magazine= citation , passage=Many of these classic methods are still used, with some modern improvements. For example, with the aid of special microphones and automated sound detection software, ornithologists recently reported […] that pine siskins (Spinus pinus ) undergo an irregular, nomadic type of nocturnal migration.}}

    Antonyms

    * diurnal

    Coordinate terms

    * crepuscular

    diurnal

    English

    Adjective

    (-)
  • Happening or occurring during daylight, or primarily active during that time.
    • Most birds are diurnal .
  • * Shakespeare
    • Ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring / Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring.
  • (botany) Said of a flower open, or releasing its perfume during daylight hours, but not at night.
  • Having a daily cycle that is completed every 24 hours, usually referring to tasks, processes, tides, or sunrise to sunset.
  • (uncommon) Done once every day; daily, quotidian.
  • (archaic) Published daily.

    • Quotations

    * (English Citations of "diurnal")

    Synonyms

    * (having a daily cycle) circadian (biology)

    Antonyms

    * (happening or active during the day) nocturnal, nightly * (active or open during the day) nocturnal

    Coordinate terms

    * (active or open during the day) crepuscular

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A flower that opens only in the day.
  • (Catholicism) A book containing canonical offices performed during the day, hence not matins.
  • (archaic) A diary or journal.
  • * 1663 ,
    • He was by birth, some authors write, / A Russian, some a Muscovite, / And 'mong the Cossacks had been bred, / Of whom we in diurnals read.
  • (archaic) A daily news publication.