twilight (lubricán)

Morning or evening twilight. One possible etymological origin is the Latin term lubricus, which can be translated as slippery. In this case, it conveys the fleeting nature of that time of day, which quickly slips through our fingers (figuratively speaking, of course). A link to the word lúgubre (gloomy) cannot be ruled out either, given the dark and sombre atmosphere that characterises the transition between day and night. A third possibility is that it originates from the Latin words lupus (wolf) and canis (dog), since during that faint light dogs bark and wolves howl. Nor is there enough light for shepherds to clearly tell one from the other.