English
nocturnal
Nocturnal comes from Latin nocturnus, from nox ‘night’, and ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *negʷ- ‘bare, naked’.
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*negʷ-‘bare, naked’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*nókʷts‘night’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnox‘night’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnocturnus
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnocturnālis
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600nocturnal
- Englishearliest quotation 2013same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Lineage
- Proto-Indo-Europeanc. 4500–2500 BCE*negʷ-‘bare, naked’reconstructed
- Proto-Indo-European, derivedc. 4500–2500 BCE*nókʷts‘night’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnox‘night’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnocturnus
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnocturnālis
- Middle Frenchc. 1400–1600nocturnal
- Englishearliest quotation 2013same form
Earliest quotation: 2013, Paul Bartel, Avian Migration: The Ultimate Red-Eye Flight: “Many of these classic methods are still used, with…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *negʷ- ‘bare, naked’
nights, naked, nude, negro, gymnastics, gymnasium, actin, gymnast, naga, denigrate, nudism, 50 more
through Proto-Indo-European *nókʷts ‘night’
night, nigger, noir, nigella, negroni, 29 more
through Latin nox ‘night’
Today it means
adj Of a person, creature, group, or species, primarily active during the night.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *negʷ- / nocturnal