Lewis & Short

noctĭlūca, ae, f. [nox-luceo], that shines by night; hence,

  1. I. The moon: Luna quod sola lucet noctu: itaque ea dicta noctiluca in Palatio; nam ibi noctu lucet templum, Varr. L. L. 5, § 68 Müll.: canentes Rite crescentem face noctilucam, Hor. C. 4, 6, 38.
  2. * II. A lantern, Varr. ap. Non. 234, 4 (Sat. Men. 54, 5).
  3. III. Noctilucam (noctilugam) Lucilius cum dixit obscenum significat, Paul. ex Fest. p. 174 Müll. (Scalig. ad loc. understands, by noctiluca, avis mali ominis noctu lugens; Salmas. Exerc. Plin. p. 70, col. 2, d, reads noctipuga, acc. to a gloss: noctipugam obscenum quod quasi noctibus compungat); v. Müll. ad Fest. l. l.