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Dec 23, 2010 This week's theme No el This week's words katzenjammer quixotic divagate nyctophobia frowsty Photo: Tiago Ribeiro Discuss Feedback RSS/XML A.Word.A.Day with Anu Garg nyctophobia PRONUNCIATION: (nik-tuh-FOH-bee-uh) MEANING: noun: An abnormal fear of night or darkness. ETYMOLOGY: From Greek nycto (night) + -phobia (fear). Earliest documented use: 1892. A related word is nyctalopia (night blindness). USAGE: "Even if you have nyctophobia you should be able to comfortably sit in a darkened movie theater. Just think of the movie screen as a huge night light." Duane Dudek; Be Very Afraid; Journal Sentinel (Milwaukee, Wisconsin); Jul 30, 1999 Explore "nyctophobia" in the Visual Thesaurus. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: It ought to be plain / how little you gain / by getting excited / and vexed. / You'll always be late / for the previous train, / and always in time / for the next. -Piet Hein, poet and scientist (1905-1996)

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