overnight
UK: ˌəʊvəˈnaɪt | US: ˌoʊvərˈnaɪt
adj. lasting for or occurring during the night
adv. during the night; suddenly or quickly
n. a stay or trip lasting one night
The word "overnight" combines "over" (Old English "ofer," meaning "above" or "across") and "night" (Old English "niht," referring to the dark period of a day). Originally, it described something spanning the duration of night (e.g., "an overnight journey"). By the 19th century, it gained figurative use for sudden change ("success happened overnight"), leveraging the idea of night as a short, transformative interval.
We took an overnight train to Paris.
The package will arrive overnight.
She became famous overnight after her viral video.
The hotel offers affordable overnight accommodations.
The weather turned cold overnight.