Factsheet
What does the word night mean?
There are 22 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word night. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.
night has developed meanings and uses in subjects including
music (early 1700s) theatre (early 1700s)
How common is the word night?
About 200occurrences per million words in modern written English
See frequency
How is the word night pronounced?
British English
/nʌɪt/
night
U.S. English
/naɪt/
night
See pronunciation
Where does the word night come from?
Earliest known use
Old English
The earliest known use of the word night is in the Old English period (pre-1150).
night is a word inherited from Germanic.
See etymology
Nearby entries
- late Old English–
- nigh hands, adv.a1375–1425
- nighing, n.1395–1540
- nighing, adj.1596–
- nighle, v.1340–1400
- nighly, adv.Old English–
- nighness, n.Old English–
- nigh-related, adj.a1834–83
- nighsome, adj.a1400
- nighsomeness, n.a1400
- night, n. & int.Old English–
- night, v.a1393–
- night-adapted, adj.1961–
- night adder, n.1816–
- night ambling, adj.1600
- night-ape, n.1863–
- night bag, n.a1618–
- night-basket, n.1688–1814
- night-bat, n.1603–
- nightbird, n.c1450–
- night blain, n.1601
Browse more nearby entries
Etymology
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Meaning & use
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Pronunciation
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