night-time
B1Neutral to slightly formal/literary; more common in writing than casual speech.
Definition
Meaning
The period of darkness between sunset and sunrise; the time when it is night.
Often evokes a specific atmosphere associated with night—quiet, mysterious, dangerous, or intimate—beyond just the chronological period.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Hyphenated spelling is standard for the noun. Can function attributively (e.g., night-time hours). Often used to specify when an activity typically occurs, contrasting with 'daytime'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Both use the term. Slightly more prevalent in UK English; US English may marginally prefer 'at night' or 'nighttime' (one word, no hyphen).
Connotations
Similar connotations in both varieties: darkness, rest, potential danger, or specific activities.
Frequency
Moderately common in both. More frequent in descriptive, narrative, or instructional contexts than in core conversation.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[activity] + at night-time[Adjective] + night-time + [noun]the + night-time + [of/verb]Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “A thief in the night-time”
- “Creatures of the night-time”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Used in sectors like hospitality, security, or transport to specify operating hours (e.g., 'night-time surcharge').
Academic
Used in studies on sleep, urban planning, or ecology to delineate temporal variables.
Everyday
Used to describe routines, rules for children, or weather conditions (e.g., 'Night-time temperatures will drop below freezing').
Technical
Used in aviation, medicine (e.g., night-time asthma), and environmental science.
Examples
By Part of Speech
noun
British English
- The animals are most active in the night-time.
- A night-time curfew was imposed across the city.
- She has a job in the night-time economy.
American English
- Nighttime is when the desert comes alive.
- He works the nighttime shift at the factory.
- The city's nighttime skyline is spectacular.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I go to bed at night-time.
- It is dark at night-time.
- We can see the moon at night-time.
- The noise from the pub was disturbing residents during the night-time.
- Night-time temperatures are much colder here.
- Security lights come on automatically at night-time.
- The study compared daytime and night-time activity patterns in urban foxes.
- The new policy aims to reduce night-time emissions from port operations.
- His fear of the dark made every night-time journey stressful.
- The night-time economy, encompassing bars, clubs, and late-night transport, is a significant contributor to city revenues.
- Poets have long romanticised the melancholic stillness of the night-time.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the hyphen as the bridge connecting 'night' and 'time'—it's the time belonging to the night.
Conceptual Metaphor
NIGHT-TIME IS A CONTAINER (for events, feelings), NIGHT-TIME IS A VEIL (hiding, mysterious), NIGHT-TIME IS A PERIOD OF SUSPENDED ACTIVITY.
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid direct calque 'ночное время' in all contexts; often 'ночью' or 'в ночное время' is more natural.
- Don't confuse with 'midnight' (полночь).
Common Mistakes
- Writing as one word 'nighttime' (more accepted in US) or two words 'night time' (incorrect).
- Using it where 'at night' suffices, making speech sound stilted.
- Misspelling as 'nite-time'.
Practice
Quiz
Which of the following is the most standard spelling for the noun meaning 'the period of darkness'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
The standard spelling for the noun in UK English is hyphenated: 'night-time'. US English increasingly accepts the closed compound 'nighttime'.
'Night' is the broader, more common term. 'Night-time' often specifically emphasises the time period or its characteristics, and is commonly used attributively (before another noun).
Yes, it functions attributively as a compound modifier (e.g., 'night-time routines', 'night-time flights'). It is not a standalone adjective.
It is neutral but slightly more formal or descriptive than simply 'at night'. It's perfectly acceptable in written and spoken English across registers.