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8 dictionary results for: diurnal

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This

di·ur·nal

[dahy-ur-nl] Pronunciation Key

–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.

[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

Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

di·ur·nal (dī-ûr'nəl) Pronunciation Key
adj.

Relating to or occurring in a 24-hour period; daily.
Occurring or active during the daytime rather than at night: diurnal animals.
Botany Opening during daylight hours and closing at night.

A book containing all the offices for the daily canonical hours of prayer except matins.
Archaic
1. A diary or journal.
2. A daily newspaper.

[Middle English, from Late Latin diurnālis, from Latin diurnus, from diēs, day; see dyeu- in Indo-European roots.]

di·ur'nal·ly adv.

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The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
diurnal

c.1390, 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).

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WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

diurnal
adjective
1.	of or belonging to or active during the day; "diurnal animals are active during the day"; "diurnal flowers are open during the day and closed at night"; "diurnal and nocturnal offices" [ant: nocturnal]
2.	having a daily cycle or occurring every day; "diurnal rotation of the heavens"

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The American Heritage Science Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

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.
Most active during the daytime. Many animals, including the apes, are diurnal.
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 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

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American Heritage Stedman's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

diurnal di·ur·nal (dī-ûr'nəl)
adj.

Having a 24-hour period or cycle; daily.
Occurring or active during the daytime rather than at night.

di·ur'nal·ly adv.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Diurnal

Di*ur"nal\, a. [L. diurnalis, fr. dies day. See Deity, and cf. Journal.]

1. Relating to the daytime; belonging to the period of daylight, distinguished from the night; -- opposed to nocturnal; as, diurnal heat; diurnal hours.

2. Daily; recurring every day; performed in a day; going through its changes in a day; constituting the measure of a day; as, a diurnal fever; a diurnal task; diurnal aberration, or diurnal parallax; the diurnal revolution of the earth.

Ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring. --Shak.

3. (Bot.) Opening during the day, and closing at night; -- said of flowers or leaves.

4. (Zo["o]l.) Active by day; -- applied especially to the eagles and hawks among raptorial birds, and to butterflies (Diurna) among insects.

Diurnal aberration (Anat.), the aberration of light arising from the effect of the earth's rotation upon the apparent direction of motion of light.

Diurnal arc, the arc described by the sun during the daytime or while above the horizon; hence, the arc described by the moon or a star from rising to setting.

Diurnal circle, the apparent circle described by a celestial body in consequence of the earth's rotation.

Diurnal motion of the earth, the motion of the earth upon its axis which is described in twenty-four hours.

Diurnal motion of a heavenly body, that apparent motion of the heavenly body which is due to the earth's diurnal motion.

Diurnal parallax. See under Parallax.

Diurnal revolution of a planet, the motion of the planet upon its own axis which constitutes one complete revolution.

Syn: See Daily.

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Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Diurnal

Di*ur"nal\, n. [Cf. F. diurnal a prayerbook. See Diurnal, a.]

1. A daybook; a journal. [Obs.] --Tatler.

2. (R. C. Ch.) A small volume containing the daily service for the "little hours," viz., prime, tierce, sext, nones, vespers, and compline.

3. (Zo["o]l.) A diurnal bird or insect.

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