twilight

[ twahy-lahyt ]

noun

1. the soft, diffused light lights from the sky when the sun is below the horizon, either from daybreak to sunrise or, more commonly, from sunset to nightfall.
2. the period in the morning or, more commonly, in the evening during which this light lights prevails.
3. a terminal period, especially after full development, success, etc.:

   the twilight of his life.

4. a state of uncertainty, vagueness, or gloom.

adjective

1. of, relating to, or resembling twilight; dim; obscure:

   in the twilight hours.

2. appearing or flying at twilight; crepuscular.

twilight

/ ˈtwaɪˌlaɪt; ˈtwaɪˌlɪt /

noun

1. the soft diffused light occurring when the sun is just below the horizon, esp following sunset crepuscular
2. the period in which this light occurs
3. the period of time during which the sun is a specified angular distance below the horizon (6°, 12°, and 18° for civil twilight , nautical twilight , and astronomical twilight , respectively)
4. any faint light
5. a period in which strength, importance, etc, are waning

   the twilight of his life

6. modifier
   1. of or relating to the period towards the end of the day

      the twilight shift

   2. of or relating to the final phase of a particular era

      the twilight days of the Bush presidency

   3. denoting irregularity and obscurity

      a twilight existence

Derived Forms

• twilit, adjective

Other Words From

• twilighty adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of twilight¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; late Middle English; twi- + light ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of twilight¹

C15: literally: half-light (between day and night), from Old English twi- half + light ¹

Example Sentences

Another thing the pair have in common is twilight working hours, and their willingness to go until “you completely tap out,” according to Steele.

From Los Angeles Times

A month after Israel intensified its campaign against Hezbollah with thousands of airstrikes and a ground invasion in the south, the capital now exists in a twilight state, somewhere between war and lull.

From Los Angeles Times

Where cars sit idle beneath the open sky, trees might one day arch overhead and couples linger in a waning twilight.

From Los Angeles Times

In the 2008 film “Twilight,” a vampire describes the scent of blood as being “like a drug.”

From Salon

“The day of the quote ‘rock star’ is in twilight.

From BBC

Related Words

• dusk
• sunset