Dictionary

twilight en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈtwaɪˌlaɪt/
• (US) audio

Etymology

PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English twilight, twyelyghte, equivalent to twi- (“double, half-”) + light, literally ‘second light, half-light’. Cognate to Scots twa licht, twylicht, twielicht (“twilight”), Low German twilecht, twelecht (“twilight”), Dutch tweelicht (“twilight, dusk”), German Zwielicht (“twilight, dusk”). Compare Old English twēone lēoht (“twilight”).

Meanings

1. (not-comparable) Pertaining to or resembling twilight; faintly illuminated; obscure.
2. (not-comparable) Synonym of mesopelagic (“Describing the pelagic zone of the ocean between the photic epipelagic and the aphotic bathypelagic zones, characterized by very minimal light.”)
   • twilight zone

Relateds

crepuscular

Synonyms

mesopelagic

twilight en · NOUN

Pronunciation

• /ˈtwaɪˌlaɪt/
• (US) audio

Etymology

PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English twilight, twyelyghte, equivalent to twi- (“double, half-”) + light, literally ‘second light, half-light’. Cognate to Scots twa licht, twylicht, twielicht (“twilight”), Low German twilecht, twelecht (“twilight”), Dutch tweelicht (“twilight, dusk”), German Zwielicht (“twilight, dusk”). Compare Old English twēone lēoht (“twilight”).

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) The soft light in the sky seen before the rising and (especially) after the setting of the sun, occasioned by the illumination of the earth’s atmosphere by the direct rays of the sun and their reflection on the earth.
   • Near-synonym: half-light
   • I could just make out her face in the twilight.
2. (countable, uncountable) The time when said light is visible; the period between daylight and darkness.
   • It was twilight by the time I got back home.
   • At twilight in the summer there is never anybody to fear—man, woman, or cat—in the chambers and at that hour the mice come out. They do not eat parchment or foolscap or red tape, but they eat the luncheon crumbs. 1892, Walter Besant, chapter II, in The Ivory Gate […], New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers, […], →OCLC:
3. (countable, uncountable) Any faint light through which something is seen.
   • Two women, Eusabio’s wife and sister, looked on from the deep twilight of the hut. 1927, Willa Cather, Death Comes for the Archbishop, Book VII, section 4, page 233:
4. (countable, uncountable) The time when the sun is less than 18° below the horizon.
5. (broadly, countable, figuratively, uncountable) An in-between or fading condition through which something is perceived.
   • The twilight of one's life
   • , Book IV, Chapter XIV The twilight […] of probability.
   • “They have not enough heart,” said Edith, with a smile. The very twilight of a smile: so singularly were its light and darkness blended. 1846 October 1 – 1848 April 1, Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son, London: Bradbury and Evans, […], published 1848, →OCLC:

Forms

Coordinates

golden hour · sundown · evening · nightfall · dawn · dusk

Deriveds

Twilight of the Gods · Twitard · twilightless · twilightly · Twimom · Twific · twilightness · Twilighter · twilights · Twihard · Twihater · twilight anesthesia · twilighty · Twifan · twilight sleep · twi-night · twilight birth · twilit · twinight · twilight industry · twilight zone · twilightish · twilight years · twilight language · twilightful · twilightlike · twilight shift

Holonyms

day

Hypernyms

light

Hyponyms

evenfall · dusk · first light · civil twilight · eventide · nautical twilight · dawn · cockcrow (period between daylight and darkness) · astronomical twilight

Meronyms

lauds · vespers

Relateds

daytime · nighttime · golden hour

Synonyms

glooming · dimmet · blue hour (period between daylight and darkness) · crepuscule · tweenlight · half-light · crepusculum · evenglome · gloaming · twilight

Translations (240)

egy i-x:x-w-N2 (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · nl schemering (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hu pirkadás (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · tr alacakaranlık (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hi झुटपुटा (evening twilight) · ar شَفَق (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · la crepusculum (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ja 薄明かり (faint light; dubious medium) · ja 黄昏 (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · fr demi-jour (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · la crepusculum (evening twilight) · ko 어스름 (evening twilight) · nv hayííłką́ (evening twilight) · ang ǣfenglōm (evening twilight) · lv krēsla (evening twilight) · cmn 薄暮 (evening twilight) · bg дрезгавина́ (faint light; dubious medium) · es penumbra (faint light; dubious medium) · be прыце́мак (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · war sirom (evening twilight) · de Dämmerung (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · fr brumes (faint light; dubious medium) · nl tweelicht (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · fi aamuhämärä (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · it crepuscolo (faint light; dubious medium) · el μισοσκόταδο (faint light; dubious medium) · da gry (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · mi ririko (evening twilight) · vro õdagunõ ago (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · sv gryning (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · nb skumring (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · tl bukang-liwayway (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · is ljósaskipti (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · nn tussmørke (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hu szürkület (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · de Zwielicht (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · es crepúsculo (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · sl somrak (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · mi rikoriko (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · el λυκόφως (evening twilight) · arc ܒܗܪܐ (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · da skumring (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ca crepuscle (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · sq agu (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ro crepuscul (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · pl półmrok (faint light; dubious medium) · arc ܢܘܨܦܐ (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hi गोधूलि (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · nv nahootsoii (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · war sidsid (evening twilight) · pl zmierzch (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ms senja kala (evening twilight) · sh су̏мра̄к (evening twilight) · is rökkur (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hu pirkadat (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · eo krepusko (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · lb Dämmerung (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ro crepuscul (faint light; dubious medium) · pag sirom (evening twilight) · ru су́мрак (faint light; dubious medium) · fi hämärä (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ta மெல்லொளி (faint light; dubious medium) · vi hoàng hôn (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · pt crepúsculo (evening twilight) · hsb směrki (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hil hinudlaw (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ru су́мрак (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ko 황혼 (evening twilight) · fr pénombre (faint light; dubious medium) · ceb kilumkilom (evening twilight) · it crepuscolo (evening twilight) · ro crepuscul (evening twilight) · tl dapithapon (evening twilight) · da tusmørke (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · grc λύγη (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · tsg magrib (evening twilight) · mi māhina (evening twilight) · sh по̏лумра̄к (faint light; dubious medium) · lv krēsla (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · sh sȕmrāk (evening twilight) · hi धुंधलका (evening twilight) · tr tan (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · txb sānti (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · be змрок (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · cs stmívání (evening twilight) · vi bình minh (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · tl dapithapon (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · cs soumrak (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · bg су́мрак (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · km អស្តង្គត (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hu félhomály (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · sh pȍlumrāk (faint light; dubious medium) · dsb změrkanje (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · nds Tweidüster (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hi संध्या (evening twilight) · pl półzmrok (faint light; dubious medium) · vro hummogunõ ago (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hi साँझ (evening twilight) · it penombra (faint light; dubious medium) · pt penumbra (faint light; dubious medium) · krc ашхам къарангы (evening twilight) · pt lusco-fusco (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · uk су́тінки (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · fr crépuscule (evening twilight) · cy llwydnos (evening twilight) · sh sȕmrāk (faint light; dubious medium) · hi संध्या (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hi द्वाभा (evening twilight) · ta மெல்லொளி (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · pt crepúsculo (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · war sirom (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · lt saulėlydis (evening twilight) · sq muzg (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · de Zwielicht (faint light; dubious medium) · gd ciaradh (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ltg mikrieslis (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hu virradat (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · nn skreddartime (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ru су́мерки (evening twilight) · ru су́мерки (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ro zori (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ja 夕暮れ (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hil sirom (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · fi iltahämärä (evening twilight) · bg здрач (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · nb tussmørke (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · sh су̏мра̄к (faint light; dubious medium) · ru потёмки (faint light; dubious medium) · et eha (evening twilight) · hi द्वाभा (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ga coimheascar (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · el σούρουπο (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · fi hämärä (faint light; dubious medium) · hi गोधूलि (evening twilight) · de Halbdunkel (faint light; dubious medium) · be змярка́нне (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ilo sardam (evening twilight) · id senja kala (evening twilight) · sv skymning (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ru полумра́к (faint light; dubious medium) · fa-ira گُرْگومیش (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hi सांध्य प्रकाश (evening twilight) · prs شَفَق (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · pl zmrok (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · it crepuscolo (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · nn skumring (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · war salidsid (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · lv krēsla (faint light; dubious medium) · uk при́смерк (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · mk са́мрак (faint light; dubious medium) · kk қаракөлеңке (evening twilight) · bcl sinarum (evening twilight) · fi epäselvä (faint light; dubious medium) · et agu (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · af skemeraand (evening twilight) · el σούρουπο (evening twilight) · gl crepúsculo (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · is húm (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · fo skýming (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · akl kahapunanon (evening twilight) · cy cyfnos (evening twilight) · bg полумра́к (evening twilight) · et eha (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ang ǣfenglōm (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hil sirom (evening twilight) · ro amurg (evening twilight) · th สนธยา (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · sh су̏мра̄к (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · gd eadar-sholas (evening twilight) · ilo suripet (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hu alkonyat (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hi सांध्य प्रकाश (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · mrw merimon (evening twilight) · et koit (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · tl takipsilim (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · sk šero (faint light; dubious medium) · fa-ira شَفَق (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ceb kilumkilom (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · udm акшан (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ko 황혼 (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · tl takipsilim (evening twilight) · sv tveljus (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · be суто́нне (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · sh sȕmrāk (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · gd ciaradh (evening twilight) · hi झुटपुटा (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · es crepúsculo (evening twilight) · fi iltahämärä (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · alt эҥер (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · fo dimming (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ka დაბინდება (evening twilight) · fr entre chien et loup (evening twilight) · ba эңер (evening twilight) · az toran (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · nv hayííłką́ (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · fo hálvalýsi (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · gd eadar-sholas (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ba эңер (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ur شَفَق (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · mk по́лумрак (faint light; dubious medium) · lt sutema (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hi धुंधलका (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · he בֵּין הַשְּׁמָשׁוֹת (evening twilight) · af skemerdonker (faint light; dubious medium) · war sidsid (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ka ბინდი (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · af skemer (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · nl deemstering (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ko 땅거미 (evening twilight) · mi mārikoriko (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hil hinudlaw (evening twilight) · ms teja (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · pt meia-luz (faint light; dubious medium) · cmn 黃昏 /黄昏 (evening twilight) · gl lucenza (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · he דִּימְדּוּמִים (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · mi matarikoriko (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · de Abenddämmerung (evening twilight) · hy մթնշաղ (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ka მწუხრი (evening twilight) · ru су́мерки (faint light; dubious medium) · fr crépuscule (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · sv skumrask (faint light; dubious medium) · da daggry (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · mi ririko (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ilo sardam (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ga clapsholas (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · da skumring (evening twilight) · de Dämmerung (evening twilight) · lb Dämmerung (evening twilight) · mk са́мрак (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · vro ago (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ilo suripet (evening twilight) · sk súmrak (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · ta மாலை மெல்லொளி (evening twilight) · gl luscofusco (evening twilight) · ro amurg (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · war salidsid (evening twilight) · ko 어스름 (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun) · hi साँझ (light before rising and after the setting of the Sun)

twilight en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ˈtwaɪˌlaɪt/
• (US) audio

Etymology

PIE word *dwóh₁ From Middle English twilight, twyelyghte, equivalent to twi- (“double, half-”) + light, literally ‘second light, half-light’. Cognate to Scots twa licht, twylicht, twielicht (“twilight”), Low German twilecht, twelecht (“twilight”), Dutch tweelicht (“twilight, dusk”), German Zwielicht (“twilight, dusk”). Compare Old English twēone lēoht (“twilight”).

Meanings

1. (poetic, transitive) To illuminate faintly.

Forms