moonrise

American

[moon-rahyz] / ˈmunˌraɪz /

noun

the rising of the moon above the horizon.
the time at which the moon rises above the horizon.

moonrise British

/ ˈmuːnˌraɪz /

noun

the moment when the moon appears above the horizon

"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 moonrise

First recorded in 1720–30; moon + (sun)rise

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.

See Examples For:

moonrise

The effect is particularly noticeable during a moonrise or moonset, when the lunar disc is seen alongside familiar objects on the ground.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

A few days after the next full moon on November 5, the Taurids should again be visible in the evening sky before moonrise.

From Science Daily ● Oct. 31, 2025

The moonrise turning Didi and Gogo into black, ghostly silhouettes is one such touch.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2025

For the evening, she suggests they drive up to Key’s View and watch the moonrise — “it’s going to be beautiful, huge.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2024

By moonrise they had made their way through Newtown churchyard, where a little brook runs between the lawns and under the path.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

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