nuit

Nuit is the French word for night and a general term for the period of darkness that occurs between sunset and sunrise in a given location. The length of nuit varies with season and latitude and can be affected by local timekeeping, daylight saving, and cultural definitions of evening and morning.

Etymology: Nuit derives from Latin noct-, nox, via Old French nuit, with cognates in other Romance languages. The spelling and pronunciation reflect sound changes in French over centuries.

In astronomy, the onset of nuit is defined by the sun's position below the horizon. Civil twilight, nautical twilight, and astronomical twilight are defined by sun's -6, -12, and -18 degrees below the horizon. Nuit proper typically begins after astronomical night begins, when the sun is more than 18 degrees below the horizon.

Cultural usage: Nuit appears in literature and music, with phrases such as la nuit and bonne nuit. In modern life, "nuit blanche" describes an all-night stay awake; "Nuit des Musées" is an annual event in which museums stay open late.

Ecology and society: The nuit hosts nocturnal animals and is shaped by light levels; light pollution reduces star visibility. Human activity includes nightlife and shift work, influencing energy use, safety, and social life.