Standard Lemma guide

nyctalopia

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˌnɪk.təˈləʊ.pɪ.ə/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • US: /ˌnɪk.təˈloʊ.pi.ə/

1

noun

Meaning 1

The inability to see clearly in dim light; night blindness

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: countable, uncountable

Topics: medicine, sciences

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

inability to see clearly in dim light; due to a deficiency of vitamin A or to a retinal disorder

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: night blindness, moon blindness

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: avitaminosis, hypovitaminosis, visual impairment, visual defect, vision defect, visual disorder

History

Etymology

Borrowed from Ancient Greek νυκταλωπία (nuktalōpía), from νύξ (núx, “night”), ἀλαός (alaós, “blind”), and ὄψ (óps, “eye”).