gloaming
noun

- the time of day when it is becoming dark but is not yet fully dark

The Cambridge Dictionary

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WORD ORIGIN

"Gloaming" derives from the Old English word glōmung, which meant "twilight" or the time of day when light fades. This Old English term was formed from the root glōm, meaning "twilight" or "darkness."

The word has connections to other Germanic languages, including:

- Middle Low German glomen (to grow turbid or dark)
- Old Norse glámr (moon)
- Norwegian gløyma (to forget)

All these terms relate to a Proto-Germanic root glō-, which may have carried connotations of dimness, opacity, or fading visibility.

"Gloaming" largely fell out of common usage in standard English by the 17th century but remained in use in Scottish English and northern English dialects. It experienced a revival in literary English during the 19th century, particularly through the influence of Scottish writers like Robert Burns and Sir Walter Scott, who used it in their poetry and prose.

"Gloaming" has remained largely poetic and literary in usage, often evoking a nostalgic or romantic sense of twilight,… and beautifully capturing the glowing transition from day to night, reflecting both the dimming light and the lingering warmth of the sun’s last rays.

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CARROTS & LOW-LIGHT VISION

If you were ever told to eat your carrots so you could see in the dark, you’ve been caught in one of history’s greatest food myths—a fiction that started as wartime propaganda and is still believed today.

During World War II the British government attributed the success of night-flying pilots, like John "Cat's Eyes" Cunningham (who was credited with shooting down numerous enemy planes), to a special diet. The story went that British pilots owed their exceptional night vision to a diet rich in carrots. This narrative was designed to distract the enemy from the real reason behind their success: the use of air-borne radar technology. By promoting carrots as a key factor, the British aimed to keep their radar secret while also encouraging civilians to grow and consume more carrots during a time of food shortages.

Historically, carrots weren't always the popular vegetable they are today. In fact, they were once considered a bit of an oddity for human consumption. The original carrots were purple, and it wasn't until Dutch farmers developed the orange variety in the 17th century that they became more widely accepted. However, carrots were chosen for this propaganda campaign because they were already known to be rich in Vitamin A, which is essential for healthy vision.

This element of truth made the story much more believable. Even better, wartime Britain was experiencing food shortages. With the government already encouraging people to grow and eat more vegetables, the night vision story gave people an extra patriotic reason to favour carrots.

What's remarkable is how this bit of wartime propaganda has endured decades after the truth about radar was revealed. Even today, many people believe eating carrots will give them better eyesight or help them see in the dark. The myth has been passed down through generations, repeated by parents to children, and even sometimes by healthcare professionals.

The reality, of course, is more nuanced. Carrots are indeed nutritious—they contain vitamin A, which can help prevent night blindness in people with vitamin A deficiency. But eating carrots won't improve your vision beyond normal levels or give you superhuman night sight. Once you have sufficient vitamin A in your diet (which most people in developed countries already have), additional amounts don't enhance vision further.

This carrot myth shows that once a simple, plausible explanation takes root, it's remarkably difficult to dislodge—especially when it contains a grain of truth and offers practical advice.

We can enjoy carrots by all means, but shouldn’t expect to see better in the gloaming!

Helga & Paul Smith

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SYNONYMS

afterglow, between day and night (dog and wolf), break of dusk, candlelight hour, close of day, cockshut, crepuscular/dusky/vesper light, dark gathering, darking, decline of day, dimming of day, dimness, dimpsy, dimsey, dusk, duskfall, duskness, dusktime, early evening, edge of night, evenfall, evengloam, evenlight, eventide, fading light, fall of darkness, falling shades, gathering darkness, gloam, GLOAMING, gloom, half-light, hour between, last light, lowering light, magic hour, nightfall, semidarkness, blue/shadowy/purple/golden/silver/sunset/ vespertine hour, smokefall, soft darkness, twilight (time), twinight, umbracle, veil of night,  waning day (light), witching hour

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SMUGGLE OWAD into an English conversation, say something like:

“I always find that special time in the GLOAMING very mysterious.”

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P L E A S E   S U P P O R T   O W A D

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