dusk
/dʌsk/
Definition
The time just after sunset when the sky grows dark. It is the final stage of evening twilight.
Example
We sat on the porch and watched the sky turn orange at dusk.
Show translation
We sat on the porch and watched the sky turn orange at dusk.
Etymology
From Old English *dox* ("dark, swarthy") and related to the adjective *dusky*. Cognate with Old Norse *dökk* ("dark pit, pool") and Gothic *daúhts*. The noun sense of "twilight" emerged in the early 17th century, solidifying the shift from a color description to a moment in time.
Cultural note
In many English-speaking cultures, "dusk" carries a romantic or contemplative quality, often evoking the end of the workday and the beginning of leisure or rest. It is subtly distinct from *twilight* (which can also refer to the period before sunrise) and *nightfall* (which stresses the arrival of darkness). Writers and poets have long favored *dusk* for its soft, melancholy tone.