Etymology dictionary

monometallic (adj.) — mop (n.)

monometallic (adj.)

1876 in reference to currency, "consisting of but one metal; comprising coins that consist of either gold or silver, but not both," from mono- "single" + metallic. Opposed to bimetallic. In chemistry, from 1861.

monomorphous (adj.)

"having one form only," by 1839, from mono- "one, single" + -morphic, from Greek morphē "form, shape" (see morphic).

mononuclear (adj.)

"having a single nucleus," 1866; see mono- "single" + nuclear.

mononucleosis (n.)

"infection disease characterized by an abnormally high proportion of mononuclear leucocytes in the blood," 1917, coined from mononuclear + Modern Latin -osis "abnormal condition."

monophagous (adj.)

"eating only one kind of food," by 1849, of insects, from mono- "single" + -phagous "feeding on, eating." Greek monophagos meant "eating once a day."

monophobia (n.)

"morbid dread of being left alone," 1879, from mono- "alone" + -phobia "irrational fear of." Related: Monophobic.

monophonic (adj.)

of recordings, broadcasts, etc., "not stereo, having only one output signal," 1958, coined to be an opposite of stereophonic; from mono- "single" + -phonic, from Greek phōnē "sound, voice," from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say." It was used earlier in music, "pertaining to a style of composition in which one voice-part predominates over the others" (opposed to polyphonic), by 1885.

Monophysite

1690s, from Church Latin Monophysita, from Greek monophysites, from monos "single, alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + physis "nature" (from PIE root *bheue- "to be, exist, grow"). A Christian (regarded in the West as a heretic) who believes there is only one nature, partly divine and partly human, in the person of Jesus Christ. Now comprising the Coptic, Armenian, Abyssinian and Jacobite churches. Related: Monophysitical; Monophysitism.

monoplane (n.)

1907, a hybrid coined from mono- "single" + second element of aeroplane. In old planes the wings formed a single surface running across the fuselage.

monopode (n.)

"one of a fabulous race of men believed to live in the tropics and have but one leg with a single enormous foot," 1816, from Modern Latin monopodes, from mono- "single" + pod-, stem of Greek pous "foot" (from PIE root *ped- "foot").

monopolize (v.)

"obtain a monopoly of, have an exclusive right of trading," also "obtain the whole of, get exclusive possession of," 1610s; see monopoly + -ize. Figurative use from 1620s. Related: Monopolized; monopolizing; monopolization.

monopoly (n.)

1530s, "exclusive control of a commodity or trade," from Latin monopolium, from Greek monopōlion "right of exclusive sale," from monos "single, alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + pōlein "to sell" (from PIE root *pel- (4) "to sell").

Alternative form monopole (1540s, from the Old French form of the word) was common in 16c. The meaning "possession of anything to the exclusion of others" is by 1640s; the sense of "a company or corporation which enjoys a monopoly" is by 1871.

The popular board game, developed in its final version by Charles Darrow (1889-1967) and marketed by Parker Brothers, is from 1935, the year it was a craze. Monopoly money "unreal currency" is attested by 1959, in reference to the paper used in the game.

monopolist (n.)

"one who has exclusive command or control of some branch of trade or article of commerce," c. 1600; see monopoly + -ist.

The concept is older than the word. Middle English had regrater "monopolist, one who buys up goods before they come to market" (late 14c.; early 13c. as a surname), from Old French regrateor and Medieval Latin regrator. There also was a verb, regrate, regrating.

monopolistic (adj.)

"relating to or promoting a monopoly or a system of monopolies," 1858; see monopoly + -istic.

monopolylogue (n.)

"entertainment in which one actor performs as many characters," by 1824; see mono- "one, single" + poly- "many" + -logue.

monorail (n.)

"single-rail railway system," 1885, from French; a hybrid; see mono- + rail (n.1).

monosyllable (n.)

"a word of one syllable," 1530s, from Latin monosyllabus "of one syllable," from Greek monosyllabos, from monos "single, alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + syllabē "syllable" (see syllable). That the oldest words in English tended to be monosyllables was noted from 16c.

monosyllabic (adj.)

1813, of words, "consisting of one syllable;" 1816, of languages, "consisting of words of one syllable;" 1870, of persons, "uttering only monosyllables;" from monosyllable + -ic. Earlier form was monosyllabical (1680s, of words). Related: Monosyllabically.

monotheism (n.)

"doctrine or belief that there is but one god," 1650s, from mono- "single, alone" + -theism "belief (of a specified kind) in God, a god, or gods."

monotheistic (adj.)

"of or pertaining to monotheism; believing that there is but one god," 1805, from monotheist + -ic.

monotheist (n.)

"one who believes that there is but one god," 1670s, from monotheism + -ist.

monotonous (adj.)

1750, of sound, "unvaried in tone, characterized by monotony, unvaried in tone," from Greek monotonos "of one tone" (see monotony). Transferred and figurative use, "lacking in variety, uninteresting, tiresomely uniform," is from 1783. Related: Monotonously; monotonousness.

monotone (n.)

"unvarying tone in music or speaking, utterance at one unvaried pitch," 1640s; see monotony. OED says use of the word as a noun is peculiar to English.

monotonic (adj.)

in music, etc., "of or pertaining to a single, unvarying note," 1797; see mono- + tonic (adj.). Related: Monotonically.

monotony (n.)

1706, originally in transferred sense of "wearisome sameness, tiresome uniformity or lack of variation," from French monotonie (1670s), from Greek monotonia "sameness of tone, monotony," from monotonos "of one and the same tone," from monos "single, alone" (from PIE root *men- (4) "small, isolated") + tonos "tone," from PIE root *ten- "to stretch." Literal sense of "sameness of tone or pitch" is attested in English from 1724.

monotreme (n.)

"animal of the lowest order of mammals," native to Australia and New Zealand, which have one opening for the genital, urinary, and digestive organs, 1833, from Monotremata, the order name, Modern Latin, neuter plural of monotrematus, from Greek monos "single, alone" (see mono-) + stem of trēma "perforation, hole, opening; eye of a needle, dot on dice," related to tetrainein "to bore through, perforate" (from PIE root *tere- (1) "to rub, turn"). Related: Monotrematous.

monotype (n.)

1850, "unique individual"; 1881 in biology, "the single or sole type of a species in its genus, a genus in its family, etc.;" 1882 in printers' arts, "a print from a picture painted on a metal plate" (only one proof can be made, as the picture is transferred to the paper); 1893 as a brand name of typesetting machine; see mono- + type. Related: Monotypic (1878 in the biological sense)

monoxide (n.)

"oxide with one oxygen atom in each molecule," 1840, from mono- "single" + oxide.

Monroe

the surname (also Munroe, etc.) is said to be ultimately from the River Roe in Derry, Ireland. James Monroe (1758-1831), the fifth U.S. president, was in office from 1817 to 1825. The Monroe Doctrine (so called from 1848) is a reference to the principles of policy contained in his message to Congress on Dec. 2, 1823. Monrovia, the capital of Liberia, also was named for him at its founding in 1822 by the American Colonization Society.

monseigneur (n.)

French title of honor given to princes, bishops, and other dignitaries of the church or court, equivalent to my lord, c. 1600, from French monseigneur (12c.), from mon "my" (from Latin meum) + seigneur "lord," from Latin seniorem, accusative of senior "older" (from PIE root *sen- "old"). Plural messeigneurs.

monsieur (n.)

the common title of courtesy in France, equivalent to English mister, 1510s, from French monsieur, from mon sieur "my lord," from sieur "lord," shortened form of seigneur (see monseigneur) It was the historical title for the second son or next younger brother of the king of France.

monsignor (n.)

title conferred on some prelates and dignitaries of the papal court and household, 1640s, from Italian monsignore "my lord," formed on model of French monseigneur (see monseigneur) from equivalent elements in Italian.

monsoon (n.)

1580s, "alternating trade wind of the Indian Ocean," from Dutch monssoen, from Portuguese monçao, from Arabic mawsim "time of year, appropriate season" (for a voyage, pilgrimage, etc.), from wasama "he marked." The Arabic word, picked up by Portuguese sailors in the Indian Ocean, was used for anything that comes round every year (such as a festival), and was extended to the season of the year when the monsoon blows from the southwest (April through October) and the winds were right for voyages to the East Indies. In India, the summer monsoon is much stronger than the winter and was popularly spoken of emphatically as "the monsoon." It also brings heavy rain, hence the meaning "heavy episode of rainfall during the rainy season" (1747). Related: Monsoonal.

monster (n.)

early 14c., monstre, "malformed animal or human, creature afflicted with a birth defect," from Old French monstre, mostre "monster, monstrosity" (12c.), and directly from Latin monstrum "divine omen (especially one indicating misfortune), portent, sign; abnormal shape; monster, monstrosity," figuratively "repulsive character, object of dread, awful deed, abomination," a derivative of monere "to remind, bring to (one's) recollection, tell (of); admonish, advise, warn, instruct, teach," from PIE *moneie- "to make think of, remind," suffixed (causative) form of root *men- (1) "to think."

Abnormal or prodigious animals were regarded as signs or omens of impending evil. Extended by late 14c. to fabulous animals composed of parts of creatures (centaur, griffin, etc.). Meaning "animal of vast size" is from 1520s; sense of "person of inhuman cruelty or wickedness, person regarded with horror because of moral deformity" is from 1550s. As an adjective, "of extraordinary size," from 1837. In Old English, the monster Grendel was an aglæca, a word related to aglæc "calamity, terror, distress, oppression." Monster movie "movie featuring a monster as a leading element," is by 1958 (monster film is from 1941).

monstration (n.)

"a showing, a demonstration, proof," 1560s, from Latin monstrationem (nominative monstratio) "a showing," noun of action from past-participle stem of monstrare "to show" (see monster). Earlier was monstrance (early 14c., monstraunce).

monstrosity (n.)

1550s, "an abnormality of growth," from Late Latin monstrositas "strangeness," from Latin monstrosus, a collateral form of monstruosus (source of French monstruosité), from monstrum "divine omen, portent, sign; abnormal shape; monster, monstrosity," figuratively "repulsive character, object of dread, awful deed, abomination," from root of monere "to admonish, warn, advise," from PIE *moneie- "to make think of, remind," suffixed (causative) form of root *men- (1) "to think."

Earlier form was monstruosity (c. 1400). Sense of "state or quality of being monstrous" is first recorded 1650s. Meaning "a monster" is attested from 1640s.

monstrous (adj.)

mid-15c., "of unnatural formation, deviating from the natural order, hideous," a variant of earlier monstruous (late 14c.), from Old French monstruos, monstrueuse and directly from Late Latin monstruosus "strange, unnatural, monstrous," from Latin monstrum "divine omen, portent, sign; abnormal shape; monster, monstrosity," figuratively "repulsive character, object of dread, awful deed, abomination," from root of monere "to admonish, warn, advise," from PIE *moneie- "to make think of, remind," suffixed (causative) form of root *men- (1) "to think."

Meaning "enormous, huge" is from c. 1500; that of "outrageously wrong, shocking, horrible" is from 1570s. The earlier form monstruous remained "very common in the 16th c." [OED]. As an adverb from c. 1600, but by late 19c. regarded as vulgar or colloquial. Related: Monstrously; monstrousness.

monte (n.)

1824, the name of a favorite Spanish and Spanish-American card game played with a deck of 40 cards, from Spanish monte "mountain," from Latin montem (nominative mons) "mountain" (from PIE root *men- (2) "to project"). So called from the heap of cards left after dealing. Picked up by the Americans in Texas and in the Mexican War, it was a favorite in California during the gold rush years. The three-card confidence-game form (first attested 1877) is of Mexican origin.

montage (n.)

"technique of producing a composite or consecutive whole from fragments of pictures, text, music, etc.," 1929, from French montage "a mounting," from Old French monter "to go up, mount" (see mount (v.)). Originally a term in cinematography.

montagnard (n.)

"mountaineer, highlander," 1842, from French montagnard, from montagne (12c.; see mountain). In French history, one of the extreme democratic party in the legislatures of the Revolution, supposedly so called because they occupied the highest benches in the National Assembly; hence in later use applied to any French radical or extreme liberal. The French also transferred the word in its literal sense to the aboriginal people of the highlands of South Vietnam (by 1962 in English).

Montana

U.S. state, from Latinized form of Spanish montaña "mountain" (used in South America specifically of the forested region on the eastern slopes of the Andes), from Latin mont-, stem of mons (see mountain). The territorial name was proposed in 1864 by U.S. Rep. James H. Ashley of Ohio when it was created from Nebraska Territory, in reference to the Rocky Mountains, which however traverse only one end of it. Admitted as a state in 1889. Related: Montanan.

Montanist (n.)

mid-15c., member of a millenarian and severely ascetic sect that believed in continual direct inspiration of the spirit and featured women in prominent roles, from Montanus, Christian-inspired prophet in the wilds of Phrygia after c. 160 C.E. The heresy persisted into the 6c. and helped bring prophecy into disrepute in the established Church. Related: Montanism.

Monte Carlo

resort town, capital of Monaco, Italian, literally "Charles's Mountain," founded 1866 and named for Charles III of Monaco (1818-1889). The car rally there dates to 1911. The Monte Carlo fallacy (by 1957) was named for the town's famous gambling casinos; it is the fallacy of thinking that the probability of a particular outcome rises with the successive number of opposite outcomes. Contrary to the Monte Carlo fallacy, if the roulette wheel stops on black 99 times in a row, the chances that the 100th spin will be red are still just under 50-50.

Montenegro

Adriatic coastal nation, from Venetian Italian (Tuscan monte nero), literally "black mountain," a loan-translation of the local Slavonic name, Crnagora. Related: Montenegrine.

Monterey

city in California, U.S., formerly the Spanish Pacific capital, named for the bay, which was named 1603 for Spanish colonist and viceroy of New Spain Conde de Monterrey. The Monterrey in Mexico also is named for him.

Montessori

1912 in reference to the system of education through free but guided play that was devised 1907 by Italian educationist Maria Montessori (1870-1952).

Montezuma

name borne by two rulers of Tenochtitlan in ancient Mesoamerica, from Spanish Moctezuma, from Nahuatl (Aztecan) Moteuczoma, said to mean "he who frowns like a lord" or "he who is angry in a noble manner." Montezuma's revenge, "severe intestinal infection" sometimes suffered by non-natives in Mexico, is by 1962, in reference to Montezuma II (1466-1520), Aztec ruler at the time of the Spanish arrival and conquest of Mexico.

month (n.)

"one-twelfth part of a year; one of the twelve parts into which the calendar year is arbitrarily divided," Old English monað, from Proto-Germanic *menoth- (source also of Old Saxon manoth, Old Frisian monath, Middle Dutch manet, Dutch maand, Old High German manod, German Monat, Old Norse manaðr, Gothic menoþs "month"), which is related to *menon- "moon" (see moon (n.)). Originally the month was the interval between one new moon and the next (a sense attested from late Old English).

Its cognates mean only "month" in the Romance languages, but in Germanic they generally continue to do double duty. The development of the calendrical meaning for words from this root in Greek (mēn) and Latin (mensis) was accompanied by the creation of new words for "moon" (selēnē, luna).

The colloquial phrase a month of Sundays "a very long time" is from 1829 in British parliamentary debate (roughly 7 and a half months, but never used literally).

monthly (adv.)

"once a month, in every month," 1530s, from month + -ly (2).

monthly (adj.)

1570s, "pertaining to or relating to a month," from month + -ly (1). Old English had monaþlic, but the modern words seem to be separate formations. From 1580s as "continued for a month;" 1640s as "done or happening once every month." As a noun, "a magazine or periodical published once a month," by 1833.

Montmartre

district in Paris, from Latin Mons Martyrum "Martyrs' Mount," in reference to St. Denis, first bishop of Paris, who was beheaded here with two companions in 258. The older name was Mons Mercurii. The modern cemetery there was opened in 1825.

Montreal

city in Canada, originally Ville Marie de Montréal, settled by the French 1642, named for the hill on which it was built, Mont Réal, in French literally "royal mount;" named 1534 by Jacques Cartier in honor of Francis I. Related: Montrealer.

monument (n.)

late 13c., "a sepulchre," from Old French monument "grave, tomb, monument," and directly from Latin monumentum "a monument, memorial structure, statue; votive offering; tomb; memorial record," literally "something that reminds," a derivative of monere "to remind, bring to (one's) recollection, tell (of)," from PIE *moneie- "to make think of, remind," suffixed (causative) form of root *men- (1) "to think." Meaning "any enduring evidence or example" is from 1520s; sense of "structure or edifice to commemorate a notable person, action, period, or event" is attested from c. 1600.

monumental (adj.)

c. 1600, "pertaining to a monument," from Late Latin monumentalis "pertaining to a monument," from monumentum (see monument). From 1650s in the loose sense of "conspicuous, vast, stupendous, comparable to a monument." Extended sense of "historically prominent, conspicuous to posterity" is by 1844. Related: Monumentally.

monumentalize (v.)

"to make monumental, make a permanent record of," 1843, from monumental + -ize. Related: Monumentalized; monumentalizing; monumentalization.

moo (v.)

"to make the characteristic cry of a cow, to low," 1540s, of imitative origin (compare Latin mūgire "to low, moo," Lithuanian mūkiu "to bellow," Middle High German mūhen "to low, bellow," and see PIE root *gwou-). Related: Mooed; mooing. The noun "the low of a cow" is from 1789. Baby-talk moo-cow (n.) "a cow" is attested from 1812.

mooch (v.)

mid-15c., "pretend poverty," probably from Old French muchier, mucier "to hide, sulk, conceal, hide away, keep out of sight," a word of uncertain origin, perhaps from Celtic or Germanic (Liberman prefers the latter, Klein the former). Also compare Middle English michen "to pilfer (small things)," mid-15c., perhaps from an Old English *mycan (compare Old High German muhhan "rob, ambush, waylay"). Or the word may be a variant of Middle English mucchen "to hoard, be stingy" (c. 1300), probably originally "to keep coins in one's nightcap," from mucche "nightcap," from Middle Dutch muste "cap, nightcap," ultimately from Medieval Latin almucia, also a word of unknown origin. The sense of "sponge off others" is recorded by 1857.

It has sustained itself as slang a remarkably long time. Related: Mooched; mooching. As a noun meaning "a moocher," from 1914; as "action of mooching," by 1867.

moocher (n.)

"beggar, scrounger," 1857, moucher, agent noun from mooch (v.).

mood (n.1)

"emotional condition, state of mind as regards passion or feeling," c. 1300, from Old English mod "heart, frame of mind, spirit; courage, arrogance, pride; power, violence" (also used to translate Latin animus, mens), from Proto-Germanic *mōda- (source also of Old Saxon mod "mind, courage," Old Frisian mod "intellect, mind, intention," Old Norse moðr "wrath, anger," Middle Dutch moet, Dutch moed, Old High German muot, German Mut "courage," Gothic moþs "courage, anger"), a word of unknown origin (Boutkan finds no acceptable IE etymology).

A much more vigorous word in Anglo-Saxon than currently, and used widely in compounds (such as modcræftig "intelligent," modful "proud"). The Old English senses now are obsolete. Meaning "a fit of bad temper; sullenness, sudden anger" is by 1859. To be in the mood "in a state of mind to be willing (to do or omit something)" is from 1580s. First record of mood swings is by 1939.

mood (n.2)

"grammatical form indicating the function of a verb," 1570s, an alteration of mode (n.1). The grammatical and musical (1590s) usages of it influenced the meaning of mood (n.1) in such phrases as light-hearted mood, but it is worth remembering that the two moods have no etymological relationship. Also used in traditional logic (1560s) as a variant of mode.

moody (adj.)

"angry, quarrelsome," 12c., from Old English modig "brave, proud, high-spirited, impetuous, arrogant," from Proto-Germanic *modago- (source also of Old Saxon modag, Dutch moedig, German mutig, Old Norse moðugr); see mood (n.1) + -y (2). Meaning "subject to or indulging in gloomy spells, out of humor, sullen" is recorded by 1590s (via the Middle English sense of "angry"). Related: Moodily.

moodiness (n.)

Old English modignes "pride, passion, anger;" see moody + -ness. Meaning "condition of being subject to gloomy spells, peevishness, sullenness" is from 1858.

Moog (n.)

electronic musical instrument, 1969, from Robert A. Moog (1934-2005), the U.S. engineer who invented it.

mook (n.)

"incompetent or foolish but likeable person," by 1930 (according to Partridge). There was a character Little Mook in a series of children's stories c. 1900.

moolah (n.)

also moola, "money," c. 1920, American English slang, of unknown origin. Earlier it was a form of the Islamic title mullah.

moon (v.)

c. 1600, "to expose to moonlight;" later "idle about, wander or gaze moodily" (1836), "move listlessly" (1848), probably on the notion also found in moonstruck. The meaning "to flash the buttocks" is recorded by 1968, U.S. student slang, from moon (n.) "buttocks" (1756), "probably from the idea of pale circularity" [Ayto]. See moon (n.). Related: Mooned; mooning.

moon (n.)

"heavenly body which revolves about the earth monthly," Middle English mone, from Old English mona, from Proto-Germanic *menon- (source also of Old Saxon and Old High German mano, Old Frisian mona, Old Norse mani, Danish maane, Dutch maan, German Mond, Gothic mena "moon"), from PIE *me(n)ses- "moon, month" (source also of Sanskrit masah "moon, month;" Avestan ma, Persian mah, Armenian mis "month;" Greek mene "moon," men "month;" Latin mensis "month;" Old Church Slavonic meseci, Lithuanian mėnesis "moon, month;" Old Irish mi, Welsh mis, Breton miz "month"), from root *me- (2) "to measure" in reference to the moon's phases as an ancient and universal measure of time.

A masculine noun in Old English. In Greek, Italic, Celtic, and Armenian the cognate words now mean only "month." Greek selēnē (Lesbian selanna) is from selas "light, brightness (of heavenly bodies)." Old Norse also had tungl "moon," ("replacing mani in prose" - Buck), evidently an older Germanic word for "heavenly body," cognate with Gothic tuggl, Old English tungol "heavenly body, constellation," of unknown origin or connection. Hence Old Norse tunglfylling "lunation," tunglœrr "lunatic" (adj.).

Extended 1665 to satellites of other planets. Typical of a place impossible to reach or a thing impossible to obtain, by 1590s. Meaning "a month, the period of the revolution of the moon about the earth" is from late 14c.

To shoot the moon "leave without paying rent" is British slang from c. 1823 (see shoot (v.)); the card-playing sense perhaps was influenced by gambler's shoot the works (1922) "go for broke" in shooting dice. The moon race and the U.S. space program of the 1960s inspired a number of coinages, including, from those skeptical of the benefits to be gained, moondoggle (based on boondoggle). The man in the moon "fancied semblance of a man seen in the disk of the full moon" is mentioned since early 14c.; he carries a bundle of thorn-twigs and is accompanied by a dog. Some Japanese, however, see a rice-cake-making rabbit in the moon. The old moon in the new moon's arms (1727) is the appearance of the moon in the first quarter, in which the whole orb is faintly visible by earthshine.

moonbeam (n.)

"ray of light from the moon," 1580s, from moon (n.) + beam (n.).

moon-calf (n.)

also mooncalf, "abortive, shapeless, fleshy mass," 1560s, attributed to the influence of the moon; from moon (n.) + calf (n.1). In later 16c., "deformed creature, monster;" from 1620s as "congenital idiot."

moon-dial (n.)

"dial for showing the hours by the light of the moon," 1680s, from moon (n.) + dial (n.).

moon-dog (n.)

dog who bays at the moon, 1660s, from moon (n.) + dog (n.). Earlier in same sense was mooner (1570s).

moon-face (n.)

"a full, round face," 1854, from moon (n.) + face (n.) . Related: Moon-faced.

moonglade (n.)

"the track of moonlight on water," 1860, American English, from moon (n.) + glade (n.).

moonglow (n.)

"the light or glow of the moon," 1926, from moon (n.) + glow (n.).

Moonie (n.)

1974, nickname for a member of the Unification Church, headed by Sun Myung Moon.

moony (adj.)

1580s, "like the moon;" 1848, "dreamy, listless, bewildered," from moon (n.) + -y (2). Also see moon (v.).

moonless (adj.)

"without a moon or moonlight," c. 1500, from moon (n.) + -less.

moonlight (v.)

"hold a second job, especially at night," 1957 (implied in the verbal noun moonlighting), from moonlighter "one who takes a second job after hours" (1954), from the notion of working by the light of the moon; see moonlight (n.). Earlier the verb had been used to mean "commit crimes at night" (1882), from moonlighter in reference to members of organized bands that carried on agrarian outrages in Ireland. And compare moonshine. Moonlighter in American English meant "one of a party who go about serenading on moonlit nights" (by 1897).

moonlight (n.)

"light of the moon," c. 1300, from moon (n.) + light (n.). Similar formation in Dutch maanlicht, German Mondlicht.

moonlit (adj.)

also moon-lit, "lighted or illuminated by the moon," 1819, from moon (n.) + lit (adj.).

moonrace (n.)

also moon race, "national rivalry to be first to send humans to the moon," 1963, from moon (n.) + race (n.1).

moonraker (n.)

also moon-raker, "stupid or silly person," in England, a name traditionally given to Wiltshire people, 1787, from the stock joke about fools who mistook the reflection of the moon in a pond for a cheese and tried to rake it out. But as told in Wiltshire, the men were surprised trying to rake up kegs of smuggled brandy, and put off the revenuers by acting foolish. Compare moonshine. Related: Moonraking.

moonrise (n.)

"rising of the moon, appearance of the moon above the horizon," 1728, from moon (n.) + rise (n.). Verbal noun moon-rising is from late 14c. Browning used moonset (1845) but it seems to be rare.

moonscape (n.)

"the landscape of the moon or a surface resembling it," 1926, from moon (n.) + scape (n.1).

moonshine (n.)

early 15c., "moonlight, the shining of the moon," from moon (n.) + shine (n.). Similar formation in Dutch maneschijn, German Mondschein, Swedish månsken, Danish maaneskin. In a figurative use, "appearance without substance, pretense, fiction" from late 15c.; perhaps from the notion of "moonshine in water" (see moonraker) or "light without heat."

Meaning "illicit or smuggled liquor" is attested from 1785 (earliest reference is to that smuggled on the coasts of Kent and Sussex; in reference to Southern U.S., by 1829), from the notion of being brought in or taken out under cover of darkness at night. Moonlight also occasionally was used in this sense early 19c. As a verb in this sense from 1883. Related: Moonshiner "smuggler; one who pursues a dangerous or illegal trade at night" (1860).

moon-shot (n.)

"launching of a spacecraft toward the moon," 1958, from moon (n.) + shot (n.).

moonstruck (adj.)

"affected in mind or health by the light of the moon; lunatic, crazed," 1670s, from moon (n.) + struck (see strike (v.)). Compare Greek selenobletos. For sense, see moon (v.). Perhaps coined by Milton ("Paradise Lost").

moon-up (n.)

"moonrise," U.S. dialectal, 1907, from moon (n.) probably based on sun-up (q.v.).

moonwalk (n.)

1966, "a walking on the moon," from moon (n.) + walk (n.). As a dance move in which the dancer moves backward while appearing to walk forward it was popularized 1983 by Michael Jackson.

moor (v.)

"to fasten (a ship) in a particular location by or as by cables, anchors, etc.," late 15c., probably related to Old English mærels "mooring rope," via unrecorded *mærian "to moor," or possibly borrowed from Middle Low German moren or Middle Dutch maren "to moor," from West Germanic *mairojan. Related: Moored, mooring. French amarrer is from Dutch.

moorings (n.)

1744, "ropes, etc., by which a floating thing is confined or made fast," from mooring. Figurative sense of "that to which anything is fastened or by which it is held" is by 1851.

Moor (n.)

"North African, Berber, one of the race dwelling in Barbary," late 14c., from Old French More, from Medieval Latin Morus, from Latin Maurus "inhabitant of Mauretania" (Roman northwest Africa, a region now corresponding to northern Algeria and Morocco), from Greek Mauros, perhaps a native name, or else cognate with mauros "black" (but this adjective appears in late Greek and may as well be from the people's name).

Also applied to the Arabic conquerors of Spain. Being a dark people in relation to Europeans, their name in the Middle Ages was a synonym for "Negro;" later (16c.-17c.); being the nearest Muslims to Western Europe, it was used indiscriminately of Muslims (Persians, Arabs, etc.) but especially those in India. Cognate with Dutch Moor, German Mohr, Danish Maurer, Spanish Moro, Italian Moro. Related: Mooress.

mooring (n.)

early 15c., "action or process of making a ship secure in a particular place by means of anchors, cables, etc.," verbal noun from moor (v.). From 1775 as "place where a vessel can be moored" (compare moorings).

mooreeffoc (n.)

"coffee-room, viewed from the inside through a glass door, as it was seen by Dickens on a dark London day; ... used by Chesterton to denote the queerness of things that have become trite, when they are seen suddenly from a new angle." [J.R.R. Tolkien, "On Fairy Stories"]

Moorish (adj.)

"of or pertaining to the Moors," mid-15c., moreis, morys, morreys, from Moor + -ish. Earlier was Moreske (mid-14c.), from Old French moresque, morisque. Also compare Morisco, Moresco.

moorland (n.)

"tract of waste land," Old English morlond; see moor (n.) + land (n.).

moose (n.)

"large quadruped mammal of northern North America noted for its enormous horns," 1610s, from an Algonquian language, probably Narragansett moos or Abenaki moz (compare Penobscot muns, Ojibwa mooz, Unami Delaware /mo:s/), said by early sources to be from moosu "he strips off," supposedly in reference to the animal's stripping bark for food in winter. The plural also is moose. The Loyal Order of Moose fraternal and service organization was founded in 1888.

moot (v.)

Middle English mōten, from Old English motian "to meet, talk, discuss, argue, plead," from mot "meeting" (see moot (n.)). In Middle English also "go to law, begin legal proceedings." The meaning "raise or bring forward for discussion" is from 1680s. Related: Mooted; mooting.

moot (n.)

early 12c., shortened from Old English gemot "meeting, formal assembly" (especially of freemen, to discuss community affairs or mete justice), "society, assembly, council," from Proto-Germanic *ga-motan (compare Old Low Frankish muot "encounter," Middle Dutch moet, Middle High German muoz), from collective prefix *ga- + *motan, from a root *mod- "to meet, assemble" (compare meet (v.)).

Compare witenagemot; also Middle English moot-hall, "hall used as administrative headquarters or a court of law" (c. 1300). In early 15c., awful moot was "the Last Judgment."

moot (adj.)

"debatable, subject to discussion," by 1650s, from moot case (1570s), from moot (n.) "meeting, formal assembly" in a specialized law-student jargon sense of "discussion of a hypothetical law case" (1530s). The reference is to students gathering to test their skills in mock cases.

mop (n.)

late 15c., mappe "bundle of coarse yarn, cloth, etc., fastened to the end of a stick for cleaning or spreading pitch on a ship's decks," perhaps from Walloon (French) mappe "napkin," from Latin mappa "napkin" (see map (n.)). Modern spelling by 1660s. General sense, of such an implement for cleaning floors, windows, etc., is from 1610s. Of smaller utensils of the same sort used for cleaning dishes, etc., by 1869. Of anything having the shape or appearance of a mop (especially hair), by 1847. Grose ["Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue," 1788] has mopsqueezer "A maid servant, particularly a housemaid."