half-moon

¹

[haf-moon, hahf-]

noun

1. the moon when, at either quadrature, half its disk is illuminated.

2. the phase of the moon at this time.

3. something having the shape of a half-moon or crescent.

Half Moon

²

noun

1. the ship in which Henry Hudson made his voyage to explore America in 1609.

half-moon

noun

1. the moon at first or last quarter when half its face is illuminated

2. the time at which a half-moon occurs

3. 1. something shaped like a half-moon

   2. ( as modifier )

      half-moon spectacles

4. anatomy a nontechnical name for lunula

Word History and Origins

Origin of half-moon¹

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425

Example Sentences

The 1946 tsunami, triggered by an 8.6-magnitude earthquake near Alaska, flooded parts of Half Moon Bay.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

“We’re all very excited,” said William “Captain Smitty” Smith, who was readying his charter fishing boat Riptide at Pillar Point Harbor in Half Moon Bay.

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In addition to Half Moon Bay, fishing boats are expected to head out this weekend from other harbors in Central and Northern California such as Morro Bay, Santa Cruz, San Francisco, Bodega Bay and Fort Bragg.

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The agency said fishing will reopen in the fall in some regions — including from Point Reyes in Marin County south to near Half Moon Bay, and from there to Point Sur in Big Sur — under a separate harvest limit guideline of 7,500 Chinook salmon.

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He noted that his most recent gig, at the Half Moon pub in Putney, west London, in February, had been a sell-out, which was "testimony to his superb talent".

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• arc 
• arch 
• contour 
• loop 
• trajectory