Dictionary.com

diurnal

[ dahy-ur-nl ]
/ daɪˈɜr nl /
See synonyms for diurnal on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of or relating to a day or each day; daily.
of or belonging to the daytime (opposed to nocturnal).
Botany. showing a periodic alteration of condition with day and night, as certain flowers that open by day and close by night.
active by day, as certain birds and insects (opposed to nocturnal).

noun

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Origin of diurnal

1400–50; late Middle English <Latin diurnālis, equivalent to diurn(us) daily + -ālis-al1

OTHER WORDS FROM diurnal

WORDS THAT MAY BE CONFUSED WITH diurnal

diurnal , nocturnal
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021

Words related to diurnal

durable, perpetual, long-lasting, enduring, stable, regularly, often, periodic, constantly, regular, routine, everyday, day-to-day, invariable, set, everlasting, perennial, ordinary, commonplace, common

Example sentences from the Web for diurnal

  • I think we should diurnally station a good London band on high, and play his Majesty to bed—the sun.

    Evan Harrington, Complete|George Meredith

  • Mountain and valley breezes furnish another example of diurnally reversed winds.

    Meteorology|Charles Fitzhugh Talman

  • It had never before dawned upon us that we thus added three uncounted miles to our fourteen diurnally counted ones.

    Lippincott's Magazine, December, 1885|Various

British Dictionary definitions for diurnal

diurnal
/ (daɪˈɜːnəl) /

adjective

happening during the day or daily
(of flowers) open during the day and closed at night
(of animals) active during the dayCompare nocturnal

noun

a service book containing all the canonical hours except matins

Derived forms of diurnal

diurnally, adverb

Word Origin for diurnal

C15: from Late Latin diurnālis, from Latin diurnus, from diēs day
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Medical definitions for diurnal

diurnal
[ dī-ûr′nəl ]

adj.

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

Other words from diurnal

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.

Scientific definitions for diurnal

diurnal
[ dī-ûr′nəl ]

  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 © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.