Antesunrise

/ˌæntiːˈsʌnraɪz/ noun

Definition

The time period or pre-dawn hours that occur immediately before sunrise.

Etymology

From Latin 'ante' (before) + English 'sunrise'. This poetic compound directly combines the 'before' prefix with the English word for the sun's appearance at dawn.

Kelly Says

While rare in standard usage, 'antesunrise' captures what astronomers and early risers know intimately—that magical hour before dawn when the sky begins lightening but the sun hasn't yet touched the horizon, sometimes called the 'civil twilight.'

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