Midnight
/ˈmɪd.naɪt/noun
The middle of the night; 12 o'clock at night.
Did you know?In ancient cultures, midnight was often considered a time when the veil between worlds was thinnest, making it a powerful moment for rituals and magic.
Etymological Timeline
Old English
Old English
midniht
“The middle of the night.”
Proto-Germanic
PGmc
midnahtwō
“The middle of the night, composed of 'mid' (middle) + 'nahts' (night).”
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
nókʷts
“Night, referring to the time of darkness.”
Old High German
OHG
mitnaht
“The time at the center of the night.”
Modern English
English
midnight
“The hour marking the transition from one day to the next, symbolically representing darkness and mystery.”