blood moon

American

[bluhd moon] / ˈblʌd ˌmun /

noun

a total lunar eclipse, during which a small amount of the sun’s light is refracted through the earth’s atmosphere, causing the blue wavelengths to scatter and allowing more of the red wavelengths to reach the moon.

Etymology

Origin of blood moon

First recorded in 1870–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Earth will cast an enormous shadow across the moon’s surface, turning it a deep reddish-orange, which is commonly referred to as a “blood moon,” according to NASA.

From Los Angeles Times

For some parts of the world, the full Moon will be visible as it undergoes a total lunar eclipse, becoming what is known as a Blood Moon.

From BBC

During this, the Moon can turn a rusty red colour, which is where it gets it nickname, the Blood Moon.

From BBC

Once, they brought in a shaman to cleanse the house with sage and cedar during a full blood moon.

From Los Angeles Times

This week Prince Harry met his father, the King, for the first time in more than a year, Pope Leo canonised the first millennial saint, and large parts of the world were bathed in the glow of a Blood Moon.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023