blue moon

noun

Synonyms of blue moonnext
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 moon.Saturday 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.
The third full moon in a single season with four full moons is also sometimes referred to as a blue moon, though the actual color of the lunar disk remains normal for both definitions! Anthony Wood, Space.com, 1 May 2026 The second full moon on May 31 is a blue moon and will also be a micromoon, appearing smaller than usual. Mariyam Muhammad, USA Today, 30 Apr. 2026 This month’s blue moon is also a micromoon. Tom Hawking, Popular Science, 30 Apr. 2026 Under a blue moon, at 45 degrees below zero, on this night in 1999, the map of Canada split. Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026 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

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Cite this Entry

“Blue moon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blue%20moon. Accessed 4 May. 2026.

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