underused: an illustration of a collared trogon,  a type of tropical bird (Default)
underused ([personal profile] underused) wrote in [community profile] wotd2017-07-17 07:16 pm

vespertine

vespertine

relating to, occurring, or active in the evening


This whispering adjective has its root in vesper, the Latin for evening or evening star. Though not much used, “vesper” is a synonym for evening in English. Vespers (also known to Anglicans as evensong) is also the name of evening prayers in some Christian traditions.

Vespertine in the life sciences describes flowers that bloom at dusk, as well as the habits of bats and owls. (If you live with a cat, you’re familiar with vespertine antics.)

Literarily, it captures an eerily beautiful time of day.


One of my favourite parts of Word of the Day is when the community shares words that come to mind in reading an entry.

What words does vespertine (or evening) evoke for you?

amidthestars: (Default)

[personal profile] amidthestars 2017-07-18 01:17 am (UTC)(link)
I've only ever known Vespers as it relates to prayer, and I've always thought it was a beautiful word. It makes me think of the word "whisper." (You, too, it seems.)

Vespertine is beautiful, too. I love that it gives me a way to use one of my favourite words in a broader context. It makes me think of that soft blue evening light and the sound of tall grasses brushing against each other in the wind.

(I love the word evensong, too. Before I knew its place in Anglican liturgy, I learned the word in a Rilke poem. Sometimes I still find myself saying those last 6 lines over and over, like a prayer.)
merikuru: (Thoughtful face)

[personal profile] merikuru 2017-07-18 01:38 am (UTC)(link)
It's a little boring really but it makes me think of "twilight". And not in the sense of the terrible book series, either. I've always found twilight a truly magical time, blurring the line between light and dark into something mysterious and not entirely comprehendable.
merikuru: (:D)

[personal profile] merikuru 2017-07-18 01:50 am (UTC)(link)
Dusk is nice too! It makes my mind go to dusky, which makes me think more of skin color. :D
merikuru: (o-oh)

[personal profile] merikuru 2017-07-18 02:21 am (UTC)(link)
*shakes fist at internet!*

...to be fair, dusky also makes me think of nipples, but then I do read a fair amount of odd erotica.
merikuru: (Tee hee)

[personal profile] merikuru 2017-07-18 08:20 pm (UTC)(link)
Friggin satellites, man. We were looking into satellite internet but we're basically in a hole - surrounded by bluffs on all four sides, so we literally have no line of sight to any satellites...

Nipples tend to do that. :D
merikuru: (Default)

[personal profile] merikuru 2017-07-18 11:14 pm (UTC)(link)
I know that feel actually; my dad's cousin has an elk farm in Wisconsin and is in the same sort of situation (except I don't think she can even get dialup.) It just seems so odd in today's high speed world!