half-moon

noun

ˈhaf-ˌmün 

ˈhäf-

1

: the moon when half its disk appears illuminated

2

: something shaped like a crescent

3

: the lunule of a fingernail

half-moon adjective

Examples of half-moon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Striking a pose with her hands on her hips, the White Lotus actress—who last attended the VMAs in 2024 in an optical illusion hooded corset gown—showed off two-inch-long curved nude nails and encased each finger in molten silver half-moon rings. — Lara Walsh, InStyle, 27 Sep. 2026

Large rocks form a half-moon around a small beach and tranquil bay. — Claire Turrell, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026

Fold the dough over the filling to form a half-moon and seal the edges with your fingers. — ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026

The sweet alliums are cooked with cilantro and extra-virgin olive oil until tender, then tucked into thin dumpling wrappers that are folded into half-moons and steamed for exactly 10 minutes — any longer and the dough could break. — Warren Rojas, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for half-moon

• attune
• baboon
• balloon
• bassoon
• buffoon
• cartoon
• cocoon
• festoon
• gaboon
• harpoon
• immune
• impugn

Kids Definition

half-moon

noun

-ˌmün

: the moon when half its disk appears lighted

Medical Definition

half-moon

noun

-ˌmün 

: lunula sense a