night
NYT
Night (noun) means the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise, when the sun is below the horizon. Example: “We drove through the night to reach the coast by morning.”
noun
1
The period of darkness between sunset and sunrise, when the sun is below the horizon.
"We drove through the night to reach the coast by morning."
"The city looks completely different at night."
"Owls hunt silently at night while most of the village sleeps."
2
An evening set aside for a particular activity or event.
"Friday is quiz night at our local pub."
"Saturday is film night at the community centre, with free popcorn."
"Our book club holds a games night once a month."
How to use night
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThe dark hours of the day, or an evening devoted to something specific.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
last night
all night
good night
movie night
a night out
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Word forms
- Plural
- nights
- Third person singular
- nights
- Past tense
- nighted
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Can you complete this real example?
We drove through the _____ to reach the coast by morning.
Etymology
From Old English niht, going back to a very old Proto-Indo-European root also found in Latin nox and Greek nykta — the same ancient word behind "nocturnal" and "equinox."
Synonyms
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Related words
Rhymes for night
See all rhymes for night →Frequently asked questions
What does “night” mean?
The word “night” means the period of darkness between sunset and sunrise, when the sun is below the horizon. In plain terms, the dark hours of the day, or an evening devoted to something specific.
How do you pronounce “night”?
“Night” is pronounced NYT (/ˈnaɪ̯t/ in IPA).
How do you use “night” in a sentence?
Here is “night” used in a sentence: “We drove through the night to reach the coast by morning.”
What is another word for “night”?
Words with a similar meaning to “night” include evening, dusk, nightfall, sundown, sunset and sleep.
What is the opposite of “night”?
The opposite of “night” — its antonyms — are day, brightness, daylight and light.
What part of speech is “night”?
“Night” is a noun.
Where does the word “night” come from?
The word “night” comes from Latin. From Old English niht, going back to a very old Proto-Indo-European root also found in Latin nox and Greek nykta — the same ancient word behind "nocturnal" and "equinox.".
Is “night” a common word?
“Night” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between night and evening?
Evening is the early part of the day's end, roughly from late afternoon until you go to bed, while it is still socially 'the evening'. Night is the darker stretch that follows, from nightfall through to sunrise. Evening leads into night, and the two overlap around dusk.
What is the opposite of night?
The opposite of night is day — the period of light between sunrise and sunset, when the sun sits above the horizon. The pairing is so natural that 'night and day' is also used figuratively to describe two things that could not be more different from each other.
What causes night?
Night is caused by the Earth's rotation. As the planet spins on its axis roughly once every twenty-four hours, the side facing away from the sun falls into shadow. That shadowed half experiences night, while the side facing the sun has day, until rotation brings the change around again.
When does night begin and end?
In everyday terms, night begins at sunset and ends at sunrise, when the sun drops below or climbs above the horizon. Between the two lie the softer stages of twilight — dusk after sunset and dawn before sunrise — so the exact boundary of full darkness shifts with season and location.
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