nightside

noun

night·​side ˈnīt-ˌsīd How to pronounce nightside (audio)
: the side of a celestial body (such as the earth, the moon, or a planet) not in daylight

Examples of nightside in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Its star-facing dayside is scorching, while its nightside is much cooler. Jamie Carter, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2025 During the flyby, BepiColombo, which was launched on Oct. 20, 2018, came to within around 185 miles (295 kilometers) of Mercury's nightside, facing away from the sun. Robert Lea, Space.com, 9 Jan. 2025 The light data also revealed something striking about the gas giant’s atmospheric conditions—a total lack of methane, which astronomers previously hypothesized may be detectable, at least on the nightside. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 1 May 2024 The bright purple color depicts auroras on Mars’ nightside that were detected by the ultraviolet instrument aboard NASA’s MAVEN orbiter between May 14 and 20. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 14 June 2024 See All Example Sentences for nightside

Word History

First Known Use

1848, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of nightside was in 1848

Browse Nearby Entries

Cite this Entry

“Nightside.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/nightside. Accessed 28 Feb. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!