blood moon

noun

variants or Blood Moon
plural blood moons or Blood Moons
: a full moon that coincides with a full lunar eclipse and that has an unusually reddish appearance

Note: The red color of a blood moon is caused by the diffusion of the sun's light into the shadow cast by the Earth.

And when it [the full moon] is eclipsed by the shadow of the Earth, it is called a blood moon as it turns a crimson color.IFLSCIENCE.com (London)
Through the little windows over the deep double kitchen sink, I saw a big sliver of blood moon sinking below the distant mountains.David Erik Nelson
also : a full lunar eclipse during which a blood moon occurs
A blood moon is the unscientific name for a total lunar eclipse, which is when Earth passes in between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow over the moon as sunlight is blocked. BreakingNews.ie

Examples of blood moon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Acayan combined several images into a stunning composite view, revealing the sweeping progress of Earth's shadow in impressive detail during the partial and total phases of the blood moon eclipse. Anthony Wood, Space.com, 4 Mar. 2026 The blood moon lunar eclipse in South Florida on March 3, 2026. Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 3 Mar. 2026 The eclipse marked the last blood moon to be seen in North America until New Year's Eve 2028. Joanna Moriello, New York Daily News, 3 Mar. 2026 Here is everything to know about the blood moon. Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 3 Mar. 2026 Like much of the world, Boston will see a blood moon eclipse to kick off the month of March on Tuesday morning. Grace Zokovitch, Boston Herald, 2 Mar. 2026 The eclipse will give the moon a reddish hue, which is often referred to as a blood moon, according to NASA. Jordan Green, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 2 Mar. 2026 The first blood moon of the year is early on the morning of Tuesday, March 3. Alexis Simmerman, Austin American Statesman, 2 Mar. 2026 That's because the 2026 blood moon will be much lower on the horizon. Marina Johnson, Louisville Courier Journal, 2 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1817, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of blood moon was in 1817

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Cite this Entry

“Blood moon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blood%20moon. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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