Where does “nocturnal” come from?

Nocturnal comes from Middle French nocturnal, from Latin nocturnus, from Latin nox meaning night, from Proto-Indo-European nókʷts, ultimately from the root negʷ-.

nocturnal (English): Primarily active during the night; Taking place...

Definitions

  1. Primarily active during the night; Taking place...

Ancestry of “nocturnal”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1Middle Frenchnocturnal—
2Latinnocturnālisnocturnal
3LatinnocturnusOf or belonging to the night, nocturnal
4LatinNoxNight personification
5Proto-Italicnoktsnight
6Proto-Indo-Europeannókʷtsnight
7Proto-Indo-Europeannegʷ-bare, naked

Words derived from “nocturnal”

Every word from Proto-Indo-European negʷ- →Every word from Proto-Indo-European nókʷts →Every word from Proto-Italic nokts →