Diurnal

Di`ur´nal

a.

1.

Relating to the daytime; belonging to the period of daylight, distinguished from the night; - opposed to nocturnal; as, diurnal heat; diurnal hours.

2.

Daily; recurring every day; performed in a day; going through its changes in a day; constituting the measure of a day; as, a diurnal fever; a diurnal task; diurnal aberration, or diurnal parallax; the diurnal revolution of the earth.

Ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring
Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring.

- Shak.

3.

(Bot.) Opening during the day, and closing at night; - said of flowers or leaves.

4.

(Zool.) Active by day; - applied especially to the eagles and hawks among raptorial birds, and to butterflies (Diurna) among insects.

Diurnal aberration
(Anat.) the aberration of light arising from the effect of the earth's rotation upon the apparent direction of motion of light.

Diurnal arc
the arc described by the sun during the daytime or while above the horizon; hence, the arc described by the moon or a star from rising to setting.

Diurnal circle
the apparent circle described by a celestial body in consequence of the earth's rotation.

Diurnal motion of the earth
the motion of the earth upon its axis which is described in twenty-four hours.

Diurnal motion of a heavenly body
that apparent motion of the heavenly body which is due to the earth's diurnal motion.

Diurnal parallax
See under Parallax.

Diurnal revolution of a planet
the motion of the planet upon its own axis which constitutes one complete revolution.

n.

1.

A daybook; a journal.

2.

(R. C. Ch.) A small volume containing the daily service for the "little hours," viz., prime, tierce, sext, nones, vespers, and compline.

3.

(Zool.) A diurnal bird or insect.

Adj.	1.	diurnal - belonging to or active during the day; "diurnal animals are active during the day"; "diurnal flowers are open during the day and closed at night" Antonyms: nocturnal - belonging to or active during the night; "nocturnal animals are active at night"; "nocturnal plants have flowers that open at night and close by day"
	2.	diurnal - having a daily cycle or occurring every day; "diurnal rhythms"; "diurnal rotation of the heavens"; "the diurnal slumber of bats"

annual, biannual, biennial, bimonthly, biweekly, catamenial, centenary, centennial, circadian, daily, daytime, decennial, everyday, fortnightly, hebdomadal, hourly, menstrual, momentary, momently, monthly, quarterly, quotidian, regular, secular, semestral, semiannual, semimonthly, semiweekly, semiyearly, tertian, triennial, weekly, yearly

Translate Diurnal to Spanish, Translate Diurnal to German, Translate Diurnal to French

Definitions Index: # A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

About this site and copyright information - Online Dictionary Home - Privacy Policy