GNU Collaborative International Dictionary of English

last match results

Found 2 definitions

1.       
   Diurnal , a. [L. diurnalis, fr. dies day. See Deity, and cf. Journal.]
   Relating to the daytime; belonging to the period of daylight, distinguished from the night; -- opposed to nocturnal; as, diurnal heat; diurnal hours.
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   Daily; recurring every day; performed in a day; going through its changes in a day; constituting the measure of a day; as, a diurnal fever; a diurnal task; diurnal aberration, or diurnal parallax; the diurnal revolution of the earth.
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   Ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring
   Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring.
   Shak.
   
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   (Bot.) Opening during the day, and closing at night; -- said of flowers or leaves.
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   (Zool.) Active by day; -- applied especially to the eagles and hawks among raptorial birds, and to butterflies (Diurna) among insects.
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   Diurnal aberration (Anat.), the aberration of light arising from the effect of the earth's rotation upon the apparent direction of motion of light. -- Diurnal arc, the arc described by the sun during the daytime or while above the horizon; hence, the arc described by the moon or a star from rising to setting. -- Diurnal circle, the apparent circle described by a celestial body in consequence of the earth's rotation. -- Diurnal motion of the earth, the motion of the earth upon its axis which is described in twenty-four hours. -- Diurnal motion of a heavenly body, that apparent motion of the heavenly body which is due to the earth's diurnal motion. -- Diurnal parallax. See under Parallax. -- Diurnal revolution of a planet, the motion of the planet upon its own axis which constitutes one complete revolution.
   Syn. -- See Daily.
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2.       
   Diurnal , n. [Cf. F. diurnal a prayerbook. See Diurnal, a.]
   A daybook; a journal. [Obs.]
   Tatler.
   
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   (R. C. Ch.) A small volume containing the daily service for the “little hours,” viz., prime, tierce, sext, nones, vespers, and compline.
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   (Zool.) A diurnal bird or insect.
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