HealthSeptember 4, 2026

diurnal

dy-UR-nul

Definition

Relating to or occurring during the day; specifically, in a biological context, pertaining to the daily cycle of 24 hours.

Etymology

Derived from the Latin 'diurnalis,' from 'dies,' meaning 'day.' It entered English through Old French to describe things associated with the daytime or recurring daily.

In the news

The article uses the term to describe the natural daily fluctuations in blood pressure that occur over a 24-hour period, which makes relying on a single snapshot reading problematic.

Unattended automated blood pressure readings prove accurate in rural Africa

Read the full article ↗

Bioengineer.org

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