Lucubrate

ˈlo͞ok(y)əˌbrāt

Verb

  • Write or study, especially by night.
  • Produce scholarly written material.

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Example Sentences

“Elliott lucubrated past midnight every night during finals week.”

“The new professor has lucubrated several books on Egyptian history.”

“I couldn’t focus during the day, but as soon as the sun went down, I could lucubrate.”

Word Origin

Latin, early 17th century

Why this word?

Night owls who find the creative muse during the dark hours should learn the verb “lucubrate,” which means “to write or study, especially by night.” It comes from the Latin verb “lucubrare,” which specifies working by lamplight. Horror fiction author H.P. Lovecraft insisted lucubration was most suited to his craft: “At night, when the objective world has slunk back into its cavern and left dreamers to their own, there come inspirations and capabilities impossible at any less magical and quiet hour. No one knows whether or not he is a writer unless he has tried writing at night.”

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Learn a new word Quaesitum

kwēˈsītəm