moon

SayMOON/mun//muːn/

15 meanings of moon

1
nouncountable
The big object that circles Earth and shines at night with the sun's light, or its shape on a certain night.
We could see the moon clearly from our tent.
There was a thin new moon low in the sky.
UsageSay the moon, but a full moon.
2
satellitenouncountable
A natural object in space that circles a planet, a dwarf planet, or an asteroid.
Like a small ball circling a bigger ball out in space.
Jupiter has dozens of moons orbiting it.
Mars has a small moon called Phobos.
UsageSay Jupiter's moons or the moons of Jupiter.
Similarsatellite
Note
3
designnouncountable
A picture or shape that looks like the moon, often a curved crescent.
Like a sticker shaped like a thin crescent moon.
She drew a thin moon at the top of the poster.
The blue fabric was printed with tiny silver moons.

Less common meanings

4
show bottomverbcolloquialtransitive
To pull down your pants and show your bare bottom to someone as a joke or insult.
Don't moon the neighbors from the upstairs window.
The fans mooned the rival team during the match.
UsageUsed directly with a person (moon the crowd), without at or to.
5
have a crushverbcolloquialintransitive
To think about or look at someone in a dreamy way because you are in love with them.
Like always thinking about someone you like a lot.
Teenagers often moon over their favorite singers.
He mooned after her for years without saying a word.
UsageSay moon over someone you like.
Similarswoon, pine
6
rise in priceverbslangintransitive
To rise in price very quickly and by a large amount.
Like a balloon shooting straight up into the sky.
Investors hoped the coin would moon after the big announcement.
The stock mooned overnight and doubled in value.
UsageUsed of a coin, stock, or price: the token mooned.
Similarsoar, skyrocket, rocket, surge
Oppositecrash, plummet
Note
7
monthnounliterarycountable
A month, especially one measured by the moon's cycle.
Like using the moon as a calendar.
The travelers returned after three moons in the wilderness.
The harvest would come within a moon.
UsageSay many moons ago: a long time ago.
Similarmonth
Note
8
idle aboutverbintransitive
To pass time doing nothing, in a dreamy or distracted way.
Like daydreaming instead of doing your work.
He mooned about the house all afternoon and got nothing done.
Don't just moon around when there's work to do.
UsageUsually used with around or about, as in moon around the house.
Similarmope, loaf, drift, idle
Note
9
noununcountable
The light that shines down from the moon during the night.
There was enough moon to walk home without a flashlight.
There wasn't much moon, so the stars looked very bright.
Similarmoonlight
10
noun
A card showing the moon, used in tarot and other decks for telling the future.
11
verb
In the card game hearts, to take all the scoring cards in one round on purpose.
12
noun
In the card game hearts, the move of winning all the scoring cards in one round.
13
verb
To decorate something with moon shapes or crescents.
14
verb
To leave something out so the moon's light shines on it.
15
noun
In old forts, a curved, crescent-shaped defensive structure built outside the main wall.

Practice

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Origin

From Old English mōna, going back through Proto-Germanic to an ancient Indo-European word for "moon" or "month," probably from a root meaning "to measure."

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts

Moon derives from Old English mōna. en.wiktionary.org
Its ancestry passes through Proto-Germanic to a Proto-Indo-European word meaning moon or month. en.wiktionary.org
The Indo-European word probably derives from a root meaning to measure. en.wiktionary.org