LATIN DICTIONARYLexicon Latīnum
noun · femininethird declension

nox1

nox f (genitive noctis)
Classical[ˈnɔks]Ecclesiastical[ˈnɔks]
№ 119 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. femininenight (period of time)
    media noxmidnight
    Nox pars obscūra diēī est.Night is the dim part of the day.
  2. femininedarkness
  3. femininea dream or sleep
    29 BCE – 19 BCE, Vergilius, Aeneis 4.530
  4. femininefigurativelyconfusion
  5. femininefigurativelyignorance
    8 CE, Ovidius, Metamorphoses 6.472
  6. femininefigurativelydeath

Latīnē defined in Latin in our graded readers

tempus obscūrum sine sōle; nocte dormīmus et stēllae lūcent.
nox noctis f — in Mille Verba, Tempus et Numerī

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativenoxnoctēs
genitivenoctisnoctium
dativenoctīnoctibus
accusativenoctemnoctēs
noctīs
ablativenocte
noctū		noctibus
vocativenoxnoctēs

Phrases from Meissner's Latin Phrase-Book

multa de nocte
late at night.
silentio noctis
in the silence of the night.
ad multam noctem
till late at night.
de nocte, de die
while it is still night, day.
nox senatum dirimit
night breaks up the sitting.
nox sideribus illustris
a star-light night.
intempesta, concubia nocte
in the dead of night; at midnight.
sermonem producere in multam noctem (Rep. 6. 10. 10)
to prolong a conversation far into the night.
1 more phrases
noctes diesque, noctes et dies, et dies et noctes, dies noctesque, diem noctemque
night and day.

nox, noctis (collat. form of the abl. noctu;
I. v. in the foll.: nox, adverb. for nocte; v. fin.), f. (once masc. in Cato; v. infra, I.) [Sanscr. nak, naktis, night; Gr. νύξ; Germ. Nacht; Engl. night; from root naç; cf. neco, νέκυς], night.
I. Lit.: hinc nox processit stellis ardentibus apta, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 6, 1 (Ann. v. 343 Vahl.): ipsa umbra terrae soli officiens noctem efficit, Cic. N. D. 2, 19, 49: negat ullum esse cibum tam gravem, quin is die et nocte concoquatur, in a day and a night, in twenty-four hours, id. ib. 2, 9, 24 (v. dies, I. B. 2.): quod serenā nocte subito candens et plena luna defecisset, id. Rep. 1, 15, 23: dinumerationibus noctium ac dierum, id. ib. 3, 2, 3: Milo mediā nocte in campum venit, id. Att. 4, 3, 4: omni nocte dieque, Juv. 3, 105: de nocte, by night, Cic. Mur. 33, 69: multā de nocte profectus est, late at night, id. Att. 7, 4, 2; and: vigilare de nocte, id. Mur. 9, 22 (v. de, I. B. 2.): multā nocte veni ad Pompeium, id. Q. Fr. 2, 9, 2: qui ad multam noctem vigilāssem, id. Rep. 6, 10, 10: ad multam noctem pugnatum est, Caes. B. G. 1, 26: sub noctem naves solvit, id. B. C. 1, 28: noctes et dies urgeri, night and day, Cic. de Or. 1, 61, 260; cf.: qui (scrupulus) se dies noctesque stimulat, id. Rosc. Am. 2, 6 et saep. (v. dies, I. B. 2.): concubiā nocte visum esse in somnis ei, etc., id. Div. 1, 27, 57 (v. concubius).—
(b). Abl. noctu: hac noctu filo pendebit Etruria tota, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 1, 4 (Ann. v. 153 Vahl.); so, hac noctu, Plaut. Am. 1, 1. 116: noctu hac, id. Mil. 2, 4, 28: noctu concubiā, Enn. ap. Macr. S. 1, 4 (Ann. v. 169 Vahl.): senatus de noctu convenire, noctu multā domum dimitti, Quadrig. ib.: ergo noctu futura, cum media esse coeperit, auspicium Saturnaliorum erit, Macr. S. 1, 4 fin.—Once masc. (as in cum primo lucu; v. lux): in sereno noctu, Cato, R. R. 156, 3.—
2. In partic., personified: Nox, the goddess of Night, the sister of Erebus, and by him the mother of Æther and Hemera, Cic. N. D. 2, 17, 44; Hyg. Fab. prooem.; Verg. A. 5, 721; Serv. Verg. A. 6, 250; Tib. 2, 1, 87; 3, 4 17; Ov. F. 1, 455; Val. Fl. 3, 211; Stat. Th. 2, 59 et saep.—
B. Transf.
1. That which takes place or is done at night, nightdoings, night-work (poet. and in post-class. prose): omnis et insanā semita nocte sonat, nocturnal noise, a revelling by night, Prop. 5, 8, 60; Val. Fl. 2, 219.—Hence, Noctes Atticae, the title of a work of Gellius, which he wrote at Athens by night, Gell. praef.—
2. Sleep, a dream (poet.): pectore noctem Accipit, Verg. A. 4, 530: talia vociferans noctem exturbabat, Stat. Th. 10, 219: abrupere oculi noctem, id. ib. 9, 599; Sil. 3, 216.—
3. In mal. part., Plaut. Trin. 2, 1, 21; id. As. 1, 3, 42; Cic. Att. 1, 16, 5; Hor. Epod. 15, 13; Stat. Th. 1, 69; Just. 12, 3 et saep.; cf.: nox vidua, Cat. 6, 7; Ov. H. 19, 69.—
4. Death (poet.): omnes una manet nox, Hor. C. 1, 28, 15: jam te premet nox fabulaeque Manes, id. ib. 1, 4, 16: in aeternam clauduntur lumina noctem, Verg. A. 10, 746.—
5. Darkness, obscurity, the gloom of tempest: quae lucem eriperet et quasi noctem quandam rebus offunderet, Cic. N. D. 1, 3, 6: carcer infernus et perpetuā nocte oppressa regio, Sen. Ep. 82, 16: taetrā nimborum nocte coörtā, Lucr. 4, 172: imber Noctem hiememque ferens, Verg. A. 3, 194: venturam melius praesagit navita noctem, Prop. 4, 10, 5 (mortem, Müll.).—Hence, poet., of clouds of missiles, Luc. 7, 520; Val. Fl. 7, 598: veteris sub nocte cupressi, the shadow, id. 1, 774.—
6. Blindness: perpetuāque trahens inopem sub nocte senectam Phineus, Ov. M. 7, 2: ego vero non video, nox oboritur, Sen. ap. Quint. 9, 2, 43: vultus perpetuā nocte coöpertus, Ps.-Quint. Decl. 1, 6. —
7. The shades below, the infernal regions: descendere nocti, Sil. 13, 708: noctis arbiter, i. e. Pluto, Claud. Rapt. Pros. 1, 55.—
II. Trop.
A. Darkness, confusion, gloomy condition: doleo me in hanc rei publicae noctem incidisse, Cic. Brut. 96, 330; cf.: rei publicae offusa sempiterna nox esset, id. Rosc. Am. 32, 91: nox ingens scelerum, Luc. 7, 571.—
B. Mental darkness, ignorance (poet.): quantum mortalia pectora caecae Noctis habent, Ov. M. 6, 472.—
2. Obscurity, unintelligibility: mei versus aliquantum noctis habebunt, Ov. Ib. 63.— Hence, adv.: nocte, noctū (cf. diu), and nox, in the night, at night, by night.
(a). Form nocte (rare but class.): luce noctem, nocte lucem exspectatis, Auct. Her. 4, 36, 48: in campum nocte venire, Cic. Att. 4, 3, 4 (shortly after: in Comitium Milo de nocte venit): nec discernatur, interdiu nocte pugnent, Liv. 8, 34 fin.; so id. 21, 32, 10; cf.: nec nocte nec interdiu, id. 1, 47; Juv. 3, 127, 198: velut nocte in ignotis locis errans, Quint. 7 prol. 3.—
(b). Form noctu (so most freq.): ob Romam noctu legiones ducere coepit, Enn. ap. Paul. ex Fest. p. 179 Müll. (Ann. v. 295 Vahl.): noctuque et diu, Plaut. Cas. 4, 4, 5; so, noctu diuque, Titin. and Sall. Hist. Fragm. ap. Charis. p. 185 P.; cf.: nec noctu nec diu, Plaut. Fragm. ap. Non. 98, 27: continuum diu noctuque iter properabant, Tac. A. 15, 12 fin.: quā horā, noctu an interdiu, Auct. Her. 2, 4, 7; cf.: nonnumquam interdiu, saepius noctu, Caes. B. G. 1, 8 fin.: noctu ambulabat in publico Themistocles, Cic. Tusc. 4, 19, 44: noctu ad oppidum respicientes, id. Div. 1, 32, 69; id. Fam. 14, 7, 1: noctu Jugurthae milites introducit, Sall. J. 12, 4: noctu profugere, id. ib. 106, 2: dum noctu stertit, Hor. Ep. 2, 2, 27: noctu litigare, Juv. 6, 35; 605; 14, 306.—
(g). Form nox (cf. pernox, and the Gr. νυκτός, only ante-class.): SI NOX FVRTVM FACTVM SIT, Fragm. XII. Tab. ap. Macr. S. 1, 4 med.: hinc media remis Palinurum pervenio nox, Lucil. Sat. 3, 22: quin tu hic manes? Arg. Nox si voles manebo, Plaut. As. 3, 3, 7 Ussing (al. mox); cf. id. Trin. 4, 2, 22 Brix, Krit. Anh. and Ritschl, ed. 2: si luci, si nox, si mox, si jam data sit frux, Enn. ap. Prisc. p. 724 P. (Ann. v. 412 Vahl.); cf. Gell. 12, 1.

Origins

  1. Proto-Indo-European*nókʷts
  2. Proto-Italic*nok⁽ʷ⁾ts
  3. Latinnox

Inherited from Proto-Italic *nok⁽ʷ⁾ts, from Proto-Indo-European *nókʷts. Cognate with Ancient Greek νύξ (núx), Sanskrit नक्त् (nákt), Old English niht (whence English night), Proto-Slavic *noťь.

Southern Gallo-Romance
  • Catalannitfrom Old Catalan nuyt
  • Occitannuèit
  • Occitannuèch
  • Auvergnatneutfrom Occitan nuèit
  • Auvergnatnueitfrom Occitan nuèit
  • Gasconnuèitfrom Occitan nuèit
  • Gasconnueitfrom Occitan nuèit
  • Gasconnèitfrom Occitan nuèit
  • Gasconnetfrom Occitan nuèit
  • Gasconnèifrom Occitan nuèit
Ibero-Romance
  • Portuguesenoitefrom Old Galician-Portuguese noite
  • Portuguesenoutefrom Old Galician-Portuguese noite
  • Spanishnochefrom Old Spanish noche
  • Ribagorçannitfrom Aragonese nueit
  • Mozarabicنخت
  • Asturiannuechefrom Old Leonese nueche
  • Asturiannueitefrom Old Leonese nueche
  • Asturiannuochefrom Old Leonese nueche
  • Extremadurannochifrom Old Leonese nueche
  • Leonesenueitefrom Old Leonese nueche
Balkano-Romance
  • Romaniannoapte
  • Aromaniannoapti
  • Aromaniannoapte
  • Aromaniannopti
  • Istro-Romaniannopte
  • Megleno-Romaniannoapti
Italo-Dalmatian
  • Italiannotte
  • Galluresenottifrom Corsican notte
  • Sassaresenottifrom Corsican notte
  • Dalmatiannuot
  • Dalmatiannuat
  • Istriotnuoto
  • Istriotnoto
  • Judeo-Italianנוֹטַה
  • Neapolitannotte
  • Siciliannotti
Elsewhere
  • Englishnox
  • Esperantonokto
  • Idonokto
  • Interlinguanocte
Insular Romance
  • Campidanesenotti
  • Logudoresenotte
  • Nuoresenotte
Rhaeto-Romance
  • Friuliangnot
  • Ladinnöt
  • Romanshnot
  • Romanshnotg
Gallo-Italic
  • Emiliannòt
  • Emiliannôt
  • Emiliannòcc
  • Ligurianneutte
  • Lombardneuccfrom Old Lombard nocte
  • Lombardnòccfrom Old Lombard nocte
  • Lombardnòfrom Old Lombard nocte
  • Piedmontesenog
  • Piedmonteseneuit
  • Piedmonteseneucc
Northern Gallo-Romance
  • Franco-Provençalnuet
  • Franco-Provençalnait
  • Franco-Provençalnoit
  • Franco-Provençalnot
  • Franco-Provençalnet
  • Franco-Provençalnit
  • Franco-Provençalgnuet
  • Old Frenchnoit
  • Old Frenchnuit
adverb
nox2
nox (not comparable)
Classical[ˈnɔks]Ecclesiastical[ˈnɔks]
№ 119 of the 1,000 commonest wordsMille Verba core vocabulary

Meaning

  1. Old Latinnot comparableby night, at night
    Non esse ab re puto hoc in loco id quoque ammonere, quod decemviri in duodecim tabulis inusitatissime nox pro noctu dixerunt. Verba haec sunt: si nox furtum factum sit. si im occisit iure caesus esto:[…]5th century BC, The Twelve Tables, in c. 431 CE, Macrobius, Saturnalia 1.4
    239 BCE – 169 BCE, Ennius, Annales, in c. 500 CE, Priscianus, Institutiones Grammaticae p724
proper noun · femininethird declension
Nox3
Nox f sg (genitive Noctis)
Classical[ˈnɔks]Ecclesiastical[ˈnɔks]

Meaning

  1. femininesingularNight (personification)
  2. femininesingularThe goddess Nox

Declension

declension
formsingularplural
nominativeNox—
genitiveNoctis—
dativeNoctī—
accusativeNoctem—
ablativeNocte—
vocativeNox—

Quick answers

What does nox mean in Latin?
nox, a noun, means “night (period of time); darkness; a dream or sleep”.
What is the genitive of nox?
The genitive singular is noctis. nox is feminine, third declension.
How do you pronounce nox?
In classical Latin, [ˈnɔks]; in ecclesiastical (church) Latin, [ˈnɔks].
Where does nox come from?
Proto-Indo-European *nókʷts → Proto-Italic *nok⁽ʷ⁾ts → Latin nox.