a group of workers who work a shift during the night in an industry or occupation where a day shift or a back shift is also worked
2.
the period worked
See also back shift
night shift in American English
noun
1.
the work force, as of a factory, scheduled to work during the nighttime
2.
the scheduled period of labor for this work force
Word origin
[1700–10]This word is first recorded in the period 1700–10. Other words that entered Englishat around the same time include: camera, cirrus, cozy, emphatic, sliding scale
In other languages
night shift
British English: night shift /naɪt ʃɪft/ NOUN
If a group of factory workers, nurses, or other people work the night shift, they work during the night before being replaced by another group, so that there is always a group working.