diurnal

What it means

1. not comparableHappening or occurring during daylight, or primarily active during that time.

   Most birds are diurnal.

   2 more examples

   However, in general, lizards are more diurnal than rattlers, which may be one of the reasons why young rattlers are more diurnal than adults.

   1972, Laurence Monroe Klauber, Rattlesnakes: Their Habits, Life Histories, and Influence on Mankind, Volume 1

   Ere twice the horses of the sun shall bring / Their fiery torcher his diurnal ring.

   c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene v]

2. not comparablebiologySaid of a flower that is open, or releasing its perfume during daylight hours, but not at night.
3. not comparableHaving a daily cycle that is completed every 24 hours, usually referring to tasks, processes, tides, or sunrise to sunset; circadian.

   Synonyms: circadian

In a sentence

Most birds are diurnal.

Where it comes from

1. Latindiurnālis
2. Englishdiurnal

From Latin diurnālis, from diēs (“day”). Doublet of journal.