lucubrate

English

WOTD - 15 December 2008    

Etymology

From Latin lūcubrātus, perfect passive participle of lūcubrō (“work by candlelight”), from lūx (“light”).

Pronunciation

• IPA: /ˈluː.kjə.bɹeɪt/

• Audio (US)

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Verb

lucubrate (third-person singular simple present lucubrates, present participle lucubrating, simple past and past participle lucubrated)

1. (rare) To work diligently by artificial light; to study at night.
   • 1991, December, Boo, K., “The organization woman”, The Washington Monthly, vol. 23, issue 12, p44,

     Instead, as Oklahoma’s tenure committee lucubrated over Hill’s future, […]

2. To work or write like a scholar.
   • 1846, Nathaniel Chipman, in Daniel Chipman, The Life of Hon. Nathaniel Chipman, LL.D., p. 261,

     […] I shall not hesitate to repeat some of my former thoughts, when lucubrating upon the same subject.

Derived terms

• lucubrated (obsolete)

Related terms

• lucubration
• lucubratist (obsolete)
• lucubrator
• lucubratory

Synonyms

work diligently

burn the midnight oil elucubrate pull an all-nighter

Translations

work diligently by artificial light; to study at night

French: pernocter (fr), veiller en travaillant  (fr)

Russian: работать ночью

work or write like a scholar

Russian: усердно трудиться

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Latin

Verb

lūcubrāte

1. first-person plural present active imperative of lūcubrō