What does nox mean?
Nox is a rare, literary English noun meaning night or darkness. It is used chiefly in poetry, formal prose, and writing that adopts a classical or elevated register, making it more expressive and distinctive than the ordinary word night. In Roman mythology, the capitalized form Nox denotes the personification or goddess of night. The word is pronounced with a short o followed by /ks/, but its exact vowel sound varies between standard British and American English. Although the noun is uncommon today, it remains recognizable through its connection with Latin and Roman culture and through related English terms such as nocturnal and nocturne. In contemporary writing, nox often lends an archaic or dramatic atmosphere, while the mythological form is especially useful in retellings of classical stories, descriptions of art, and references to the symbolic powers of darkness and night.
nounA literary or archaic noun meaning night or darkness; when capitalized as Nox, it also names the Roman personification of night.
- Night or darkness, especially in poetic or archaic usage.
- The Roman personification or goddess of night, usually capitalized as Nox.
"By nox, the last fires had burned to embers."
"By nox, the last fires had burned to embers."
"In Roman tradition, Nox presided over the darkness of the night."
The plural noxes is grammatical but rare in modern English.
"The novel's closing chapter evokes the noxes of winter."
Nox is the classical name for night—and the Roman goddess who personified it.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does nox come from?
The English nox was borrowed from Latin nox, whose genitive is noctis, meaning night. The uncapitalized word entered English as a learned literary synonym for night or darkness, while the proper name Nox was used for the Roman personification of night. Latin nox belongs to an Indo-European root also reflected in English night and in cognates such as nocturnal and nocturne.
Related word forms
How nox is actually used
The lower-case word is uncommon in ordinary modern English and sounds literary, archaic, or deliberately classical. The capitalized proper name Nox refers to the Roman personification of night.
Easily confused with nox
Nox means night or darkness, whereas nocks are the notched ends of a bow or arrows.