moon
moon
Moon (noun) means the natural satellite that orbits the Earth, visible in the night sky. Example: “A full moon lit up the whole beach.”
noun
1
The natural satellite that orbits the Earth, visible in the night sky.
"A full moon lit up the whole beach."
"Astronauts first landed on the moon in 1969."
"We watched the moon rise slowly over the hills while the campfire burned."
2
Any natural satellite orbiting a planet.
"Jupiter has dozens of moons, the largest being Ganymede."
"Mars has two small moons that circle the planet quite closely."
"Scientists believe one of Saturn's moons may have water beneath its icy surface."
verb
1
(informal) To bare one's buttocks at someone, usually as a joke or insult.
"The students mooned the rival team's bus as it drove past."
"The boys were scolded for mooning the passing tourists from the back of the minibus."
"He got into trouble for mooning at the camera during the school trip."
2
To spend time in an idle, dreamy, or distracted way, often while thinking about someone.
"He spent the whole afternoon mooning over photos of his ex."
"She sat by the window all week, mooning about the boy she met on holiday."
"Stop mooning around the house and help me with the washing up."
How to use moon
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEarth's satellite in the sky, or (informally) to show your bare bottom, or to daydream longingly.
Easily confused with
Common pairings
full moon
new moon
moon over someone
to the moon
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Word forms
- Plural
- moons
- Third person singular
- moons
- Past tense
- mooned
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A full _____ lit up the whole beach.
Etymology
From Old English mona, from an ancient Germanic word for "moon" that shares its root with month — the moon's cycle was one of the earliest ways people measured time.
Related words
Rhymes for moon
See all rhymes for moon →Frequently asked questions
What does “moon” mean?
The word “moon” means the natural satellite that orbits the Earth, visible in the night sky. In plain terms, earth's satellite in the sky, or (informally) to show your bare bottom, or to daydream longingly.
How do you pronounce “moon”?
“Moon” is pronounced moon (/mun/ in IPA).
How do you use “moon” in a sentence?
Here is “moon” used in a sentence: “A full moon lit up the whole beach.”
What is another word for “moon”?
Words with a similar meaning to “moon” include ☽, ☾ and Luna.
What is the opposite of “moon”?
The opposite of “moon” — its antonyms — is moonlet.
What part of speech is “moon”?
Depending on how it is used, “moon” can be a noun and a verb.
Where does the word “moon” come from?
The word “moon” comes from Old English. From Old English mona, from an ancient Germanic word for "moon" that shares its root with month — the moon's cycle was one of the earliest ways people measured time.
Is “moon” a common word?
“Moon” is a very common word in modern English, usually learned at around the A1 level.
What is the difference between the moon and a month?
The Moon is Earth's natural satellite, a rocky body orbiting our planet. A month is a unit of time. The two are linked: the word 'month' comes from 'moon,' because early calendars measured months by the Moon's cycle of phases, which takes roughly 29.5 days to complete.
What are the phases of the moon?
The Moon passes through eight phases as the sunlit part we see grows and shrinks: new moon, waxing crescent, first quarter, waxing gibbous, full moon, waning gibbous, last quarter, and waning crescent. The full cycle takes about 29.5 days, which is roughly one month.
Why do we always see the same side of the moon?
Because the Moon is tidally locked to Earth: it rotates once on its axis in exactly the time it takes to orbit us. This keeps one face permanently turned toward Earth, while the far side — often wrongly called the 'dark side' — stays hidden from view.
What is the difference between a moon and a planet?
A planet orbits the Sun, while a moon orbits a planet. Earth's Moon circles Earth, not the Sun directly. Other planets have their own moons — Jupiter has dozens — and some have none. Moons are natural satellites, not independent worlds travelling around the Sun on their own.
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