blue moon

noun

1
: a very long period of time
usually used in the phrase once in a blue moon
such people happen along only once in a blue moonSaturday Rev.
2
: a second full moon in a calendar month

Examples of blue moon in a Sentence

once in a blue moon we'll get dressed up and eat in a fancy restaurant
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.
But a blue moon isn’t supposed to last for a year. Brett Owens, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2025 Black moons are referenced like blue moons, which are defined as the third full moon in an astronomical season containing four full moons. Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 21 Aug. 2025 The August 2025 full moon is not a rare super blue moon. Tiffany Acosta, AZCentral.com, 2 Aug. 2025 This spectacle will have a window of ideal visibility through February 21. March 14: Total lunar eclipse Sometimes, full moons get called colorful names that are a bit of a fake-out: A blue moon isn’t really blue, and a pink moon isn’t really pink. Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for blue moon

Word History

First Known Use

1821, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of blue moon was in 1821

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Blue moon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blue%20moon. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

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!