Diurnal

usgb/daɪˈɜːrnl/
adjective

Happening or active during the day, not at night.

Some animals are diurnal, meaning they are most active during the day.
Visual representation of "diurnal" - Happening or active during the day, not at night

Often appears as...

  • diurnal creatures
  • diurnal activity
Definition 1 of 3
Visual representation of "diurnal"
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Activity Pattern

Diurnal often describes an organism's active hours, opposite of nocturnal.

Illustration for Activity Pattern
Owls are not diurnal; they hunt at night.
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Common Confusion

Don't confuse diurnal with nocturnal, which means active at night.

Illustration for Common Confusion
Unlike the nocturnal rodents, squirrels are diurnal.
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Environmental Context

Diurnal can describe processes that occur during daylight, like photosynthesis.

Illustration for Environmental Context
Diurnal patterns of light affect plant growth.
Visual representation of the word "Diurnal"

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