Meaning & use
nautical night
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Meaning
nouncountabletechnical
The period of darkness between sunset and sunrise, especially as defined for navigation or legal purposes.
Grammar: Countable when referring to a specific period; often used with 'the' or 'a'.
Patterns
- during the nautical night
- the nautical night begins/ends
The crew kept watch throughout the nautical night.
According to the rules, the nautical night begins at sunset and ends at sunrise.
Navigation lights must be displayed during the nautical night.
Word forms
| plural | nautical nights |
|---|
Common combinations
- during the nautical night
- The ship sailed during the nautical night.
- hours of the nautical night
- The hours of the nautical night can be long and cold.
- nautical night navigation
- Nautical night navigation requires special skills.
Synonyms and how they differ
- night
- General term; 'nautical night' is more specific and technical, often defined by law or custom.
- hours of darkness
- A descriptive phrase; 'nautical night' is a formal term used in navigation.
Opposites
Word family
- nautical adjective
- Relating to ships, sailors, or navigation.
Commonly confused: nautical night or nautical mile?
nautical night vs nautical mile
A unit of distance at sea, not a period of time.
Practice
When does the nautical night typically begin?
Choose one answer.
The nautical night is generally defined as the period from sunset to sunrise, so 'at sunset' is correct. 'At midnight' is too late, and 'at dawn' marks the end, not the beginning.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “nautical night”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.