moonshine
Americannoun
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Informal. smuggled or illicitly distilled liquor, especially corn liquor as illicitly distilled chiefly in rural areas of the southern U.S.
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empty or foolish talk, ideas, etc.; nonsense.
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the light of the moon; moonlight.
noun
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another word for moonlight
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illegally distilled or smuggled whisky or other spirit
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foolish talk or thought
Etymology
Origin of moonshine
1375–1425; late Middle English: moonlight. See moon, shine 1,
Explanation
Moonshine is the glowing light that comes from the moon, and it's also a common term meaning "homemade liquor." In an old-timey bluegrass song, a character might drink moonshine in the moonshine. While moonshine can simply be a synonym for moonlight, it's often used as slang for bootleg (or illicit) whiskey, as well as a colorful way to say "nonsense." For example, you could say, "I listened to her speech, but I finally decided everything she said was nothing but moonshine." This "without substance" meaning is actually the oldest figurative definition of moonshine, dating from the fifteenth century.
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.
The rest of the company’s dreams are more moonshine than moon landings.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 10, 2026
In math, Ono is known for his work on a range of topics across number theory, from Ramanujan’s congruences to the umbral moonshine conjecture.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 4, 2025
As she sings in "American Requiem" against reverberating acoustic guitar and piercing vocals, she is the "grandbaby of a moonshine man" in Gadsden, Alabama.
From Salon • Mar. 29, 2024
In other words, what’s on tap here is gonzo cinema moonshine, distilled from the corny legacy of every loopy genius from Buster Keaton and Tex Avery to Mel Brooks and George Miller.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 15, 2024
Through the open door the moonshine fell into the room in a cold radiance to rival our meager lamplight.
From "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
