crepuscule*





don't you just love it when you hear a word you hardly ever hear let alone use and the very next day you can actually get to use it in context; the word was 'crepuscular' as in beavers are crepuscular creatures and this evening on my after-office walk in the woods I almost tripped over another such creature, a tiny hedgehog
without(above) and with flash (below)

I did apologise to this small crepuscular being for scaring him with my bright light, but I wanted to make certain I got an image of him; hope I haven't left him in such a bewildered state, he remains transfixed; he looks very small, perhaps after a winter's sleep he lost a lot of weight and now needs to start replenishing his body, that or he is a young one




* Thesaurus Legend:  Synonyms Related Words Antonyms
Noun1.crepuscule - the time of day immediately following sunsetcrepuscule - the time of day immediately following sunset; "he loved the twilight"; "they finished before the fall of night"
eveneveningeventideeve - the latter part of the day (the period of decreasing daylight from late afternoon until nightfall); "he enjoyed the evening light across the lake"
night - a shortening of nightfall; "they worked from morning to night"
time of dayhour - clock time; "the hour is getting late"
Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.
twilight; dusk.
[1350–1400; < Latin crepuscul(um)=crepus- (akin to creper obscure) + -culum -cule1]
Random House Kernerman Webster's College Dictionary, © 2010 K Dictionaries Ltd. Copyright 2005, 1997, 1991 by Random House, Inc. All rights reserved.

Comments

Marti said…
Hedgehogs are truly special little creatures. My grandchildrens British grandfather has several in his garden in England.
Nancy said…
Hedgehogs are so darn adorable!
The crepuscule cast on the roads home tonight, made for a challenging drive!
Did I use it right? ;)
Saskia said…
hi Marti and Nancy, isn't it amazing that such a prickly creature is also soooo cute; we have several in the garden, once the weather has started to heat up again, you can hear them scurrying on the path, they are very shy so you hear rather than see them....patience is of the essence in these matters
Julie S said…
I love this word, how did you learn it??

I think that the Queen of Hearts played croquet w a flamingo mallet and a hedgehog ball?
Saskia said…
well Julie, I will tell you exactly where I heard this word: during the BBC programme Countryfile last Sunday; one of the presenters was visiting a part of Britain where beavers had been reintroduced and as she was there during the daytime she mentioned that they would probably not get to see the animals as they are crepuscular creatures! the word stuck in my mind and only a day later I myself almost trip over another crepuscular critter....funny btw that you should mention the Queen of Hearts as a couple of evenings earlier on my way back out of the woods I spotted an enormous White Rabbit, I kid you not, hopping among the freshly cut treestumps, Alice was not far I imagine
Anonymous said…
crepuscular is a FANTASTIC word. Only recently did I know it's correct meaning, however. For years, I thought it meant 'crescent shaped' as in a 'crepuscular moon'. Turns out a crepuscular moon is one seen at twilight! (I love the word 'gloaming' too)... about to take MY walk... I will not see any little critters, unfortunately.

tungsten

tungsten

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