nocturnal
gb/nɑktˈɚnəl/ us/nɑktˈɚnəl/
B2
Anglais
Sens
0 sens
adjective
B2
property
1
active mainly at night
Active at night, not in the day.
Schéma d’usage :
[animal/person] is nocturnal
Erreur fréquente :
Do not use it to mean simply "at night" for a one-time event; it often suggests a regular pattern.
Synonymes
night-active (More descriptive and less common; often used in science writing.)
|
nighttime (Often refers to time, not a living creature’s daily pattern.)
Antonymes
diurnal (Active during the day.)
Collocations
nocturnal animals
|a nocturnal species
|nocturnal mammals
|nocturnal birds
|nocturnal insects
|strictly nocturnal
|mostly nocturnal
|nocturnal behavior
|nocturnal habits
|a nocturnal predator
Thèmes
nature
|animals
|daily_life
Exemples
- Owls are mostly nocturnal, so you’re more likely to hear them than see them in daylight.
- After switching to the late shift, he became almost nocturnal on weekdays.
- Many desert animals are nocturnal to avoid the heat.
Exemples pédagogiques
- Bats are nocturnal.
- I feel nocturnal when I study late.
adjective
B2
property
2
happening during the night
Happening at night.
Schéma d’usage :
nocturnal [activity/event/temperature/sound]
Erreur fréquente :
Learners may overuse it where “night” or “nighttime” is more natural (e.g., “night bus,” not usually “nocturnal bus”).
Synonymes
nighttime (More common in everyday speech.)
|
night (Often used as a noun or attributive noun (e.g., night work) rather than an adjective.)
Antonymes
daytime (Happening during the day.)
Collocations
nocturnal activity
|nocturnal noise
|nocturnal temperature
|nocturnal flight
|nocturnal hours
|nocturnal sky
|nocturnal symptoms
|nocturnal work
|nocturnal attacks
|nocturnal movements
Thèmes
time
|daily_life
|science
Exemples
- The doctors monitored his nocturnal breathing patterns.
- They recorded the nocturnal temperature drop with a sensor outside.
- A sudden nocturnal storm knocked out the power.
Exemples pédagogiques
- The pain is worse at night, with nocturnal cramps.
- They measured nocturnal noise in the street.
Nom
C1
entity
3
a night-active animal
An animal that is active at night.
Schéma d’usage :
a nocturnal; nocturnals
Erreur fréquente :
This noun use is much less common than the adjective; speakers usually say “a nocturnal animal.”
Synonymes
night animal (More common but less precise; often used informally.)
Antonymes
diurnal (An animal active during the day.)
Collocations
study nocturnals
|nocturnals and diurnals
|the nocturnals of the forest
Thèmes
nature
|animals
Exemples
- The exhibit features nocturnals that you rarely see outside after dark.
- Some nocturnals rely more on smell than sight to find food.
Grammaire
Forme canonique
nocturnal
API
GB/nɑktˈɚnəl/
US/nɑktˈɚnəl/
Syllabes et accentuation
noc - turn - al (3 syllabes)
Stress on 2nd syllable (turn)
Formes du mot
Adjective
- Base: nocturnal
Famille de mots
Expressions
nocturnal emission
1/nɑktˈɚnəl ɪmˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
technical
involuntary semen release during sleep
when semen comes out of a man’s body while he is sleeping and he does not control it
Exemples
- The doctor reassured him that a nocturnal emission is completely normal during puberty.
- Many health guides include information about nocturnal emission for teenagers.
- A nocturnal emission is sometimes called a “wet dream” in everyday language.
nocturnal emission
1/nɑktˈɚnəl ɪmˈɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
sexual ejaculation during sleep
A “wet dream”; ejaculation while sleeping.
Exemples
- Nocturnal emissions are common during puberty.
- He asked the doctor whether frequent nocturnal emissions were normal.
nocturnal enuresis
1/nɑktˈɚnəl ɪnjɚsɪz/
fixed phrase
technical
bedwetting at night
A medical term for bedwetting at night.
Exemples
- The pediatrician discussed treatment options for nocturnal enuresis.
- Nocturnal enuresis can have medical or psychological causes.