moon

I. noun Etymology: Middle English mone, from Old English mōna; akin to Old High German māno moon, Latin mensis month, Greek mēn month, mēnē moon Date: before 12th century 1. a. often capitalized the earth's natural satellite that shines by the sun's reflected light, revolves about the earth from west to east in about 29 1/2 days with reference to the sun or about 27 1/3 days with reference to the stars, and has a diameter of 2160 miles (3475 kilometers), a mean distance from the earth of about 238,900 miles (384,400 kilometers), and a mass about one eightieth that of the earth — usually used with the b. one complete moon cycle consisting of four phases c. satellite 2; specifically a natural satellite of a planet 2. an indefinite usually extended period of time <

a labor of many moons

> 3. moonlight 4. something that resembles a moon: as a. a highly translucent spot on old porcelain b. lunule c. slang naked buttocks 5. something impossible or inaccessible <

reach for the moon

> • moonlike adjective II. verb Date: 1836 transitive verb 1. to spend in idle reverie ; dream — used with away 2. slang to expose one's naked buttocks to intransitive verb to spend time in idle reverie ; behave abstractedly