nocturn means the night office of the Christian liturgy of the Hours, such as is performed in monasteries. It carries an Arena rating of 1706, earned across 57 head-to-head judged battles.
Among words judged in Lexicurio's Arena, nocturn ranks #2,166 of 17,124 for Most Sublime Words, #2,496 of 17,126 for Most Elegant Words, #4,311 of 17,130 for Most Beautiful Words, #4,618 of 17,149 for Most Exacting Words.
nocturn is pronounced /ˈnɒktɜːn/.
Why “nocturn” is a great word
NOCTURN — [Noun] A canonical hour of the Christian liturgy, a night office comprised of psalms, lessons, and prayers. From Middle English nocturne, borrowed from Medieval Latin nocturna (noun use of the feminine form of Latin nocturnus, meaning "nocturnal, of the night"), derived from Latin nox ("night"). Unlike "nocturne," which evokes Chopin's dreamy piano pieces, or "matins," its counterpart of dawn, a nocturn is anchored in the profound, liturgical dark. It is the murmur of psalms in a cold chapel, the solitary flame of a vigil lamp guttering in a draft, and the weight of a heavy breviary in weary hands—a deliberate vigil that consecrates the formless silence of the small hours.
Etymology
From Middle English nocturne, borrowed from Medieval Latin nocturna, noun use of the feminine form of Latin nocturnus (“nocturnal, of the night”), derived from nox (“night”).
noun
- The night office of the Christian liturgy of the Hours, such as is performed in monasteries.
- A portion of the psalter used during nocturns.
Definitions & examples from Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 3.0).
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