词源 |
midnight n."the middle of the night, 12 o'clock at night," Old English mid-niht, or middre niht (with dative of adjective). See mid (adj.) + night. Compare similar formation in Old High German mittinaht, German Mitternacht. Midnight oil symbolizing "late night work" is attested from 1630s. updated on January 14, 2019 |