An Etymological Dictionary of Astronomy and Astrophysics
English-French-Persian

Generally, the middle of the night as indicated by twelve o'clock at night.
True midnight: The time when the Sun is closest to nadir and the night is equi-distant from dusk and dawn. The opposite of noon.

From mid- an E. combining form related to → middle; → night.

Nimšab, from nim "mid-, half" (Mid.Pers. nêm, nêmag "half;" Av. naēma- "half;" cf. Skt. néma- "half") + šab, → night

The phenomenon occurring when the Sun is visible above the horizon at midnight. This phenomenon can be seen at positions north of the Arctic Circle and south of the Antarctic Circle when the Sun is circumpolar (around the summer solstice in the northern hemisphere and the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere respectively).

→ midnight, → sun.