waning moon

American  

noun

1. the moon at any time after the full moon and before the new moon, so called because its illuminated area is decreasing.

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Usage

What is a waning moon? The moon is called a waning moon when it is in the phase in which its visible surface area is getting smaller. A waning moon occurs between a full moon (when the visible surface is fully round and lit up) and a new moon (when the surface that faces Earth is completely covered in shadow).To wane is to decrease in some way. A moon is any natural satellite that orbits a planet, and the moon is Earth’s only natural satellite.While the moon could be said to be a waning moon at any time between a full moon and a new moon, a waning moon is frequently depicted as a crescent shape.

Etymology

Origin of waning moon

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; Old English

Compare meaning

How does waning-moon compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• waxing vs. waning moon
• waxing moon vs. waning moon

Example Sentences

The waning moon glimmered in the shallows of Rainbow Harbor, seagulls still blinking sleep from their eyes as the anglers huddled at the edge of the pier.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 26, 2022

Ultimately, Cress finds that sorrow, like the waxing and waning moon, is a part of life.

From New York Times • Mar. 17, 2022

He was the first in a line of about 70 voters that stretched along the edge of the parking lot, under a waning moon, their faces illuminated by phones and their hands cradling hot coffee.

From Washington Post • Nov. 3, 2020

He arrived at Ada Bible Church in Cascade, Mich., at 5:50 a.m., first in a line of about 70 voters that stretched along the edge of the parking lot under a waning moon.

From Seattle Times • Nov. 3, 2020

They sang to the stars, to the waning moon, to the waving grasses.

From "Cannery Row" by John Steinbeck