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(), a.[L. diurnalis, fr. dies day. See Deity, and cf. Journal.] 1. Relating to the daytime; belonging to the period of daylight, distinguished from the night; -- opposed to nocturnal; as, diurnal heat; diurnal hours. 2. Daily; recurring every day; performed in a day; going through its changes in a day; constituting the measure of a day; as, a diurnal fever; a diurnal task; diurnal aberration, or diurnal parallax; the diurnal revolution of the earth. Ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring. Shak. 3. (Bot.) Opening during the day, and closing at night; -- said of flowers or leaves. 4. (Zol.) Active by day; -- applied especially to the eagles and hawks among raptorial birds, and to butterflies (Diurna) among insects. Diurnal aberration (Anat.), the aberration of light arising from the effect of the earth's rotation upon the apparent direction of motion of light. Diurnal arc, the arc described by the sun during the daytime or while above th Diur"nal (), n.[Cf. F. diurnal a prayerbook. See Diurnal, a.] 1. A daybook; a journal. [Obs.] Tatler. 2. (R. C. Ch.) A small volume containing the daily service for the "little hours," viz., prime, tierce, sext, nones, vespers, and compline. 3. (Zol.) A diurnal bird or insect. スポンサード リンク
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