moonlight

1 of 2

noun

moon·​light ˈmün-ˌlīt How to pronounce moonlight (audio)
: the light of the moon

moonlight

2 of 2

verb

moonlighted; moonlighting

intransitive verb

: to hold a second job in addition to a regular one
moonlighter noun

Examples of moonlight in a Sentence

Noun A figure appeared in the moonlight. Verb She is a secretary who moonlights as a waitress on weekends.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
With no moonlight to interfere, this might turn out to be one of the best meteor displays of the year. Joe Rao, Space.com, 2 Jan. 2025 The moon will set at approximately 6 pm in the eastern US on the 21st, so no moonlight will interfere with this meteor shower. Gretchen Rundorff, WIRED, 2 Jan. 2025
Verb
Image Rosalynn Carter moonlighted as her daughter Amy’s hairstylist while wearing a blue-green dress by Dominic Rompollo before her husband, Jimmy Carter, was inaugurated as president in 1977. Scott Cacciola, New York Times, 19 Jan. 2025 In addition to his new gig moonlighting as a model for J. Crew, Patrick Radden Keefe is on the crime and corruption beat as a staff writer for The New Yorker. Eric Lach, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for moonlight 

Word History

Etymology

Verb

back-formation from moonlighter

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1957, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of moonlight was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near moonlight

Cite this Entry

“Moonlight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moonlight. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

Kids Definition

moonlight

1 of 2 noun
moon·​light -ˌlīt How to pronounce moonlight (audio)
: the light of the moon

moonlight

2 of 2 verb
: to work at a second job in addition to a regular one
moonlighter noun
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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