matutinal (mah-TOO-tin-ul) - adj., of, pertaining to, or occurring in the early morning.
Which can be both pre-dawn and just post-dawn. Most commonly used in the life sciences -- compare with crepuscular, active during dawn or twilight. Adopted in 1656 from Late Latin Late Latin mātūtīnālis, from Latin mātūtīnus, of or pertaining to the morning, from Mātūta, Roman goddess of the dawn (sometimes identified with the Greek Eos of the infamously rosy fingers) --- and as such related to matins, matinee, mature, and mañana.
---L.
Which can be both pre-dawn and just post-dawn. Most commonly used in the life sciences -- compare with crepuscular, active during dawn or twilight. Adopted in 1656 from Late Latin Late Latin mātūtīnālis, from Latin mātūtīnus, of or pertaining to the morning, from Mātūta, Roman goddess of the dawn (sometimes identified with the Greek Eos of the infamously rosy fingers) --- and as such related to matins, matinee, mature, and mañana.
---L.