dusktodawn

Dusktodawn is a term used to denote the period from dusk to dawn. In ordinary usage, the more common forms are dusk to dawn or dusk till dawn. The phrase can function as a temporal descriptor for activities that occur at night or across the night.

In practical contexts, dusk-to-dawn often appears in descriptions of lighting or security arrangements, as in dusk-to-dawn lighting or security patrols, meaning the service or system operates from sunset to sunrise.

Etymology: It combines dusk, the period just after sunset, and dawn, the period just before or at sunrise. Style guides prefer hyphenation in compounds when used as an adjective, hence dusk-to-dawn; some modern uses drop the hyphens or write as a single word, dusktodawn.

In culture and commerce, dusktodawn is used as a stylized title or brand name to evoke night-time or transitional themes. As a single-word form, it is less common in formal writing but appears in logos, album art, and product lines.

See also: dusk to dawn, dusk till dawn, night, twilight.