Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

nighttime

/ˈnaɪtˌtaɪm/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: 3.27 in modern English

Syllables: night-time
IPA: /ˈnaɪtˌtaɪm/

15

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

7

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

The hours of darkness between sunset and sunrise; the night.

Countable; Uncountable

adj

Pertaining to nighttime; appropriate to the night.

adj

Happening during the night.

Example Sentences

"Nighttime fell like the opening / In the final act of the beginning of time"
"Smith Barney, for example, goes so far as to shift the hours during which taxi rides home are expensable as nighttime lengthens and shortens, says Moszkowski."
"Discourage nighttime prowlers by installing motion-sensitive lights."

Etymology

From Middle English nyght tyme, nyȝttyme, equivalent to night + time. Compare Dutch nachttijd, German Nachtzeit, Danish nattetid, Swedish nattetid. Compare also Middle English nyȝter tyme (“nighttime”), from Old Norse náttartími, nætrtími (“nighttime”).

Origin

Source language: Middle English

Word Breakdown

Root: nyght tyme

Usage

Inflected Forms

nighttimes (plural) night time (alternative) night-time (alternative)

Phrases

nighttime diaper nighttime nappy night-times

Frequently Paired Words

twilight

Synonyms

nightertale nighttide night nighttime scotoperiod skotoperiod nocturnal dark

Antonyms

day daytime diurnal

Questions

How do you pronounce nighttime?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈnaɪtˌtaɪm/.
What does nighttime mean?: The hours of darkness between sunset and sunrise; the night.
Where does nighttime come from?: It is traced to Middle English.

How to pronounce nighttime

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “nighttime”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈnaɪtˌtaɪm/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “nighttime”.
Repeat and practice — Say “nighttime” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.