Synonyms

harvest moon

American

noun

the moon at and about the period of fullness that is nearest to the autumnal equinox.

harvest moon British

noun

the full moon occurring nearest to the autumnal equinox

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of harvest moon

First recorded in 1700–10

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.

One morning in my homeroom, the teacher asked what a harvest moon was.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 16, 2026

According to his online profile, this 4 1/2-month-old ink spot with harvest moon eyes lived for belly rubs.

From Salon • Dec. 6, 2024

The harvest moon refers to the full moon that appears closest to the fall equinox.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 19, 2024

The harvest moon is the name given to the full moon that occurs nearest to the autumn equinox, which this year occurs on 22 September.

From BBC • Sep. 17, 2024

I turned off my lamp and moved aside the limp curtains, thinking of Ned and looking for the big orange harvest moon he’d written of.

From "Moon Over Manifest" by Clare Vanderpool

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