dagbrudd

Dagbrudd is a Norwegian term that refers to the break of day or dawn—the moment when daylight begins and the night gives way to day. The word is formed from dag (day) and brudd (break), and it is used in everyday language as well as in descriptive or literary contexts to convey the early morning light.

In practice, dagbrudd denotes the early morning period before or around sunrise when the sky lightens and the first signs of day appear. The exact moment can vary with location and season, and daylight often develops gradually during this time.

In meteorological, navigational, and technical contexts, more precise terms exist for different stages of morning light. Daggry, for example, is commonly used to denote dawn, while civil dawn or nautical dawn may be used in specific technical definitions. Because dagbrudd is primarily a non-technical, descriptive term, it is often employed in poetry, prose, and everyday speech to evoke the sense of beginning and renewal that accompanies morning.

Culturally, dagbrudd can symbolize transition, new beginnings, or quiet and contemplation associated with the early hours of the day. It is typically contrasted with sunrise, which marks the exact moment the sun becomes visible above the horizon.

See also: daggry, dawn, sunrise, twilight.