Diurnal
/daɪˈɜrnəl/
adjectiveC1
Definition
Diurnal describes things that happen or are active during the day, from morning to evening. It is often used to talk about animals that are awake and moving around in daylight, unlike nocturnal animals that are active at night.
Was this helpful?
See It in Action
Active or happening during the daytime
- •Many birds are diurnal and sleep at night.
- •Humans are generally diurnal creatures.
- •Diurnal animals avoid nighttime activity to stay safe.
Relating to the daily cycle of day and night
- •The diurnal temperature changes affect how plants grow.
- •Some plants open their flowers in a diurnal rhythm.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of 'diurnal' like 'day' (A1 word), but as an adjective to describe things related to daytime activity
- ✓Picture a bright sunny day when birds are singing and people are outside—this is when diurnal animals are active
- ✓It’s the feeling of energy and life you get during daylight hours, like when you go to school or work
- ✓Sounds like 'die-URN-al' → imagine a bright urn (a container) shining in the daylight, full of life
- ✓Imagine a squirrel running around in the park during the day, gathering food—that’s diurnal behavior
- ✓NOT like 'nocturnal' (active at night), diurnal means awake and busy when the sun is up
- ✓NOT like 'crepuscular' (active at dawn and dusk), diurnal means active throughout the daylight hours
Try Other Words
- •Daytime: happening or active during the day (Use in casual conversation about daily activities)
- •Daily: happening every day (Use when talking about events that happen every day, not just during the day)
- •Morning-to-evening: active from morning until evening (Use when you want to describe the full daylight period in simple words)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: 'di-' (day) + '-urnal' (relating to time or day)
- •Etymology: From Latin 'diurnalis,' meaning 'of the day,' from 'dies' meaning 'day'
- •Historical development: Used since the 1600s in English to describe things related to the day or daily cycles
- •Modern usage: Common in biology and ecology to describe animals, plants, or processes active during daylight hours
Reflect & Connect
•How does being diurnal affect the behavior and safety of animals in nature?
•Can you think of any human activities that are strictly diurnal? Why might that be important?
Fill in the blanks
1.Diurnal animals are usually active during the ___ and rest during the night.
2.Unlike nocturnal creatures, diurnal species avoid ___ hours.
3.Plants that follow a diurnal cycle open their flowers ___ and close them at night.
4.If an animal is diurnal, you would expect to see it moving around ___ the sun is up.
5.Diurnal behavior helps animals avoid predators that hunt at ___.
6.Humans are mostly diurnal, which is why we work and study during ___.
7.The temperature changes during the diurnal cycle can ___ how plants grow.