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diurnal

 - 6 dictionary results

di·ur·nal

   [dahy-ur-nl]
–adjective
1.
of or pertaining to a day or each day; daily.
2.
of or belonging to the daytime (opposed to nocturnal).
3.
Botany. showing a periodic alteration of condition with day and night, as certain flowers that open by day and close by night.
4.
active by day, as certain birds and insects (opposed to nocturnal).
–noun
5.
Liturgy. a service book containing offices for the daily hours of prayer.
6.
Archaic. a diary.
7.
Archaic. a newspaper, esp. a daily one.
Use diurnal in a Sentence
Origin:
1400–50; late ME < L diurnālis, equiv. to diurn(us) daily + -ālis -al1

—Related forms
di·ur·nal·ly, adverb
di·ur·nal·ness, noun
trans·di·ur·nal, adjective
un·di·ur·nal, adjective
un·di·ur·nal·ly, adverb

—Can be confused: diurnal, nocturnal.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2010.
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World English Dictionary
diurnal (daɪˈɜːnəl) [Click for IPA pronunciation guide]
 
—adj
1.  happening during the day or daily
2.  (of flowers) open during the day and closed at night
3.  Compare nocturnal (of animals) active during the day
 
—n
4.  a service book containing all the canonical hours except matins
 
[C15: from Late Latin diurnālis, from Latin diurnus, from diēs day]
 
di'urnally
 
—adv

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Word Origin & History

diurnal
late 14c., from L.L. diurnalis, from diurnum "day," from L. diurnus "daily," from dies "day" + -urnus, an adj. suffix denoting time (cf. hibernus "wintery"). Dies "day" is from PIE base *dyeu- (cf. Skt. diva "by day," Welsh diw, Bret. deiz "day;" Arm. tiw; Lith. diena; O.C.S. dini, Pol. dzien, Rus. den), lit. "to shine" (cf. Gk. delos "clear;" L. deus, Skt. deva "god," lit. "shining one;" Avestan dava- "spirit, demon;" Lith. devas, O.N. tivar "gods;" O.E. Tig, gen. Tiwes, see Tuesday).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

di·ur·nal definition

Pronunciation: /dī-ˈərn-əl/
Function: adj
1 : having a daily cycle <diurnal rhythms>
2 a : of, relating to, or occurring in the daytime <diurnal activity>
b : chiefly active during the daytime <diurnal mosquitoes>
di·ur·nal·lyPronunciation: /-əl-ē/
Function: adv
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2007 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
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diurnal di·ur·nal (dī-ûr'nəl)
adj.

  1. Having a 24-hour period or cycle; daily.

  2. Occurring or active during the daytime rather than at night.

di·ur'nal·ly adv.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
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Science Dictionary
diurnal   (dī-ûr'nəl)  Pronunciation Key 

    1. Occurring once in a 24-hour period; daily.

    2. Having a 24-hour cycle. The movement of stars and other celestial objects across the sky are diurnal.

  2. Most active during the daytime. Many animals, including the apes, are diurnal.

  3. Having leaves or flowers that open in daylight and close at night. The morning glory and crocus are diurnal. Compare nocturnal.


The American Heritage® Science Dictionary
Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.
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