diurnal
/daɪˈɜːnl/ (bre, ipa) · [daɪˈɚnəl] /daɪˈɜːrnl/ (ame, ipa) · [daɪˈɚnəl] /dī-ˈər-nᵊl/ (ame, mw)
diurnal — adjective
- diurnalpositive
- more diurnalcomparative
- most diurnalsuperlative
1. describes an animal or species that is mainly awake, feeding, or moving about in
describes an animal or species that is mainly awake, feeding, or moving about in daylight instead of after dark.
Meerkats are diurnal animals that search for food soon after sunrise.
collocation: diurnal animals / diurnal species
Aoi saw diurnal butterflies settle on the garden wall before lunch.
Unlike the bats upstairs, these mice are diurnal and sleep at night.
Park guides said the monkeys are diurnal, so mornings are the best viewing time.
- day-active
technical alternative used when describing animal behaviour
- daytime
broader and less exact; it names the time, not a species habit
- nocturnal
direct opposite for creatures active mainly at night
用法筆記
Subject is usually an animal or species, especially in biology or wildlife writing. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense is about when a living thing is active, not about a repeating daily pattern in data or weather.
常見錯誤
2. relating to a pattern that repeats each day, or to something measured across a s
relating to a pattern that repeats each day, or to something measured across a single day.
The chart shows a diurnal pattern in traffic, with two busy peaks.
collocation: diurnal pattern
Doctors tracked the patient's diurnal temperature changes during her hospital stay.
collocation: diurnal temperature changes
The valley has a strong diurnal shift between hot afternoons and cold nights.
The lab ran a diurnal test that began at sunrise and ended by dawn.
- nightly
used when the pattern belongs specifically to the night
用法筆記
Object is usually a pattern, change, range, cycle, or test, and the word is commonest in scientific or technical writing. Distinguish from sense 1: this sense names a daily rhythm or one-day span, not a creature's daylight habits.
常見錯誤
diurnal — noun
1. a written record in which daily events, work, or expenses are entered day by day
a written record in which daily events, work, or expenses are entered day by day; a journal.
The ship's diurnal listed the weather, cargo, and repairs for each day.
historical record noun
Indra kept a diurnal of farm costs during the first harvest season.
Archivists found the doctor's diurnal beside old letters in a wooden chest.
The clerk copied each sale into the store's diurnal before closing time.
用法筆記
Object is the written record itself, especially in older business, travel, or historical contexts. Distinguish from sense 2: this sense focuses on the recorded information, not on the physical notebook.
2. the book or notebook used for writing day-by-day notes; a diary or daybook.
the book or notebook used for writing day-by-day notes; a diary or daybook.
Grandfather pulled a faded diurnal from the drawer and showed us his notes.
physical book meaning
The museum displayed a leather diurnal opened to a page from 1912.
Iris bought a small diurnal to track her baby's feeding times.
Please leave the diurnal on the front desk for tomorrow's staff.
用法筆記
Object is the physical book or notebook. Most modern English speakers would say diary or journal instead, so this noun is mainly useful when reading older texts.