moonstruck

American  

[moon-struhk] / ˈmunˌstrʌk /

Also moonstricken

adjective

1. mentally deranged, supposedly by the influence of the moon; crazed.

2. dreamily romantic or bemused.

---

moonstruck British  

/ ˈmuːnˌstrɪkən, ˈmuːnˌstrʌk /

adjective

1. deranged or mad

---

Etymology

Origin of moonstruck

First recorded in 1665–75; moon + struck

Explanation

Are you so in love that you act like a lunatic? Does the full moon make you howl? If so, you’re moonstruck! Moonstruck literally means to be affected by the moon, but moonstruck people are dreamy and in love. You can use the adjective moonstruck to mean "insane" or "loony" in general, but it's most often connected to the idea of being lovesick or romantic and irrational. It stems from an ancient belief that the moon could actually cause insanity. The first written use of moonstruck is found in John Milton's 1674 epic poem "Paradise Lost," included in a list of humanity's afflictions caused by original sin: "moon-struck madness."

Example Sentences

Any argument against using their baseball unicorn in relief can be countered by those same three words, a phrase which this summer has come to symbolize magic and majesty and moonstruck possibility.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 12, 2024

But Dr. Seth says these moonstruck effusions are not proof of a love affair.

From New York Times • Oct. 1, 2021

Or Japan’s moonstruck billionaire who will follow them from Kazakhstan in December with his production assistant tagging along to document everything?

From Washington Post • May 25, 2021

More recently, they have become moonstruck by icy, potentially habitable worlds in the outer solar system, such as Saturn’s geyser-spewing satellite Enceladus and Jupiter’s oceanic moon Europa.

From Scientific American • Sep. 14, 2020

She expected Clara to enter one of her moonstruck trances and exit through the window, but nothing of the sort took place.

From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende