English
nocturne
Nocturne comes from French nocturne ‘nocturnal’, from Latin 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
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*nok⁽ʷ⁾ts‘night’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnox‘night’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnocturnus‘of or belonging to the night, nocturnal’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentnocturne‘nocturnal’literally ‘nocturnal’
- Englishearliest quotation 1907same 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
- Proto-Italicc. 1500–700 BCE*nok⁽ʷ⁾ts‘night’reconstructed
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEnox‘night’
- Latin, derivedc. 75 BCE–200 CEnocturnus‘of or belonging to the night, nocturnal’
- Frenchc. 1600–presentnocturne‘nocturnal’literally ‘nocturnal’
- Englishearliest quotation 1907same form
Earliest quotation: 1907, Robert William Chambers, New York: “My tastes,” he said, still smiling, “incline me to…”
The story
Borrowed from French nocturne (literally “nocturnal”), from Latin nocturnus.
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *negʷ- ‘bare, naked’
nights, naked, nude, gymnastics, negro, gymnasium, gymnast, naga, actin, denigrate, nudism, 50 more
through Proto-Indo-European *nókʷts ‘night’
night, nigger, noir, nigella, negroni, 29 more
through Latin nox ‘night’
Today it means
noun A work in a genre of piano music of moderate tempo with a highly-decorated, improvisatory melody.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Proto-Indo-European *negʷ- / nocturne