blue moon
Americannoun
-
a second full moon in a month, occurring every two to three years as a result of the discrepancy between a lunar year and a solar year.
-
(formerly) the third full moon in a season with four full moons instead of the usual three.
-
a long, indeterminate stretch of time, as between occurrences of a rare event or phenomenon.
-
an uncommon phenomenon in which the moon appears to have a blue tinge because of the filtering effect of smoke or dust particles in the atmosphere.
idiom
noun
-
the second full moon occurring within a calendar month
-
informal very rarely; almost never
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of blue moon
First recorded in 1815–25
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.
Once in a blue moon, a person is willing to do the hard internal work that leads to real, sustainable change.
From Salon ● Mar. 21, 2025
Tuesday’s moon follows the Aug. 19 super blue moon.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2024
Monday’s super blue moon will kick off four consecutive supermoons this year.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2024
As blue moons are not that common, it's thought where the phrase "once in a blue moon" comes from.
From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2024
But every weekend, there are at least a handful that catch his ear, and once in a blue moon, there is a singer or a song that makes him jump out of his seat.
From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
