Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

lucubrate

/ˈluː.kjə.bɹeɪt/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 0.00 in modern English

Syllables: lu-cubrate
IPA: /ˈluː.kjə.bɹeɪt/

13

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

8

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To work diligently by artificial light; to study at night.

verb

To work or write like a scholar.

Example Sentences

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

Etymology

First attested in 1623; borrowed from Latin lūcubrātus, perfect passive participle of lūcubrō (“to work by candlelight”) (see -ate (verb-forming suffix)), from lūx (“light”).

Origin

First known use: First attested in 1623

Word Breakdown

Root: *lewk-

Inflected Forms

lucubrates (present, singular) lucubrating (participle, present) lucubrated (participle, past) lucubrated (past)

Derived Forms

lucubrated

Frequently Paired Words

elucubrate lucubration lucubratist lucubrator lucubratory

Synonyms

burn the midnight oil elucubrate pull an all-nighter elaborate expatiate exposit enlarge flesh out expand expound dilate

Questions

How do you pronounce lucubrate?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈluː.kjə.bɹeɪt/.
What does lucubrate mean?: To work diligently by artificial light; to study at night.
Where does lucubrate come from?: First known use: First attested in 1623.

How to pronounce lucubrate

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “lucubrate”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/ˈluː.kjə.bɹeɪt/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
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