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
In between tales of dinner parties in Copenhagen and wearing Christian Lacroix straw hats in Paris, Blair encourages us to wait for the moonlight to better illuminate our photographs. Elise Taylor, Vogue, 19 Nov. 2024 EarthSky recommends watching from a spot that will still give you a wide expanse of sky, but blocks out the moonlight. Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 31 Oct. 2024
Verb
When the family moved to California in 1962, Jan took a job as a janitor, and moonlighted as a freelance jazz musician with some fellow Dutch players. Marc Weingarten, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024 Gilliam can moonlight as the team’s third tight end until Morris is healthy. Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 24 Aug. 2024 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 Nov. 2024.

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
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!