noun
nighthawk
NUH-iht-hawk
noun
1
A North American nightjar bird, active at dusk and known for its distinctive booming courtship dive.
"We heard a nighthawk calling as the sun went down."
2
A person who tends to stay up and be active late at night.
"He's a real nighthawk, most productive after midnight."
How to Use Nighthawk
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither a dusk-flying bird or a person who's naturally more active at night.
Word Forms
nighthawks plural
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We heard a _____ calling as the sun went down.
Etymology
From night + hawk, describing a bird active at night that resembles a hawk in flight though it is unrelated to true hawks.