a. [ L. aequinoctials, fr. aequinoctium equinox: cf. F. équinoxial. See Equinox. ] 1. Pertaining to an equinox, or the equinoxes, or to the time of equal day and night; as, the equinoctial line. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Pertaining to the regions or climate of the equinoctial line or equator; in or near that line; as, equinoctial heat; an equinoctial sun. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. Pertaining to the time when the sun enters the equinoctial points; as, an equinoctial gale or storm, that is, one happening at or near the time of the equinox, in any part of the world. [ 1913 Webster ]

Equinoctial colure (Astron.), the meridian passing through the equinoctial points. --
Equinoctial line (Astron.), the celestial equator; -- so called because when the sun is on it, the nights and days are of equal length in all parts of the world. See Equator. [ 1913 Webster ] Thrice the equinoctial line
He circled. Milton. --
Equinoctial points (Astron.), the two points where the celestial and ecliptic intersect each other; the one being in the first point of Aries, the other in the first point of Libra. --
Equinoctial time (Astron.) reckoned in any year from the instant when the mean sun is at the mean vernal equinoctial point. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The equinoctial line. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. Towards the equinox. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Coming between the equinoxes. [ 1913 Webster ]

Summer and winter I have called interequinoctial intervals. F. Balfour. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. nox, noctis, night + ambulare to walk: cf. F. noctambulation. ] Somnambulism; sleepwalking; walking in one's sleep. Quain. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. Somnambulism.
Syn. -- sleepwalking; noctambulation. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A somnambulist; a sleepwalker. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A noctambulist; a sleepwalker. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. nox, noctos, night + dies day. ] Comprising a night and a day; as, a noctidial day. [ R. ] Holder. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. noctifer; nox, noctis + ferre to bring. ] Bringing night. [ Obs. ] Johnson. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Etymol. uncertain. ] (Zool.) A South American bat of the genus Noctilio, having cheek pouches and large incisor teeth. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n.; pl. Noctilucae [ L. noctiluca something that shines by night, fr. nox, noctis, night + lucere to shine, lux light. ] 1. (Old Chem.) That which shines at night; -- a fanciful name for phosphorus. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (Zool.) A genus of marine flagellate Infusoria, remarkable for their unusually large size and complex structure, as well as for their phosphorescence. The brilliant diffuse phosphorescence of the sea is often due to myriads of Noctilucae. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. (Zool.) A fatlike substance in certain marine animals, to which they owe their phosphorescent properties. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. (Zool.) Of or pertaining to Noctiluca. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. Shining in the night. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. nox, noctis, night + vagans, p. pr. of vagari to wander about. ] (Zool.) Going about in the night; night-wandering. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. A roving or going about in the night. Gayton. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. noctivagus; nox, noctis + vagus wandering. ] Noctivagant. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. nox, noctis, night + -graph. ] 1. A kind of writing frame for the blind. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. An instrument or register which records the presence of watchmen on their beats. Knight. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. noctu by night. ] A record of what passes in the night; a nightly journal; -- distinguished from diary. [ R. ] Addison. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ From L. nox, noctis, night. ] (Zool.) Any one of numerous moths of the family Noctuidae, or Noctuaelitae, as the cutworm moths, and armyworm moths; -- so called because they fly at night. -- a. Of or pertaining to the noctuids, or family Noctuidae. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F., fr. L. noctua a night owl, fr. nox, noctis, night. ] (Zool.) A large European bat (Vespertilio altivolans syn. Noctulina altivolans). [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. nocturne, fr. L. nocturnus. See Nocturnal, and cf. Nocturne. ] 1. An office of devotion, or act of religious service, by night. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. One of the portions into which the Psalter was divided, each consisting of nine psalms, designed to be used at a night service. Hook. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. nocturnalis, nocturnus, fr. nox, noctis, night. See Night, and cf. Nocturn. ] 1. Of, pertaining to, done or occuring in, the night; as, nocturnal darkness, cries, expedition, etc.; -- opposed to diurnal. Dryden. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. Having a habit of seeking food or moving about at night; as, nocturnal birds and insects; raccoons are nocturnal.; -- of animals. [ 1913 Webster +PJC ]

n. An instrument formerly used for taking the altitude of the stars, etc., at sea. I. Watts. [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. By night; nightly. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ F. See Nocturn. ] (Mus.) A night piece, or serenade. The name is now used for a certain graceful and expressive form of instrumental composition, as the nocturne for orchestra in Mendelsohn's “Midsummer-Night's Dream” music. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. One who watches or keeps awake all night. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ L. pernoctatio, fr. pernoctare to stay all night; per + nox, noctis, night. ] The act or state of passing the whole night; a remaining all night. “Pernoctation in prayer.” Jer. Taylor. [ 1913 Webster ]

a. [ L. trinoctialis for three nights; tri- (see Tri-) + nox, noctis, night. ] Lasting during three nights; comprising three nights. [ 1913 Webster ]