blood moon: meaning, definition, pronunciation and examples
LowInformal, journalistic, sometimes technical (astronomy)
Quick answer
What does “blood moon” mean?
A lunar eclipse where the moon appears reddish due to sunlight being filtered through Earth's atmosphere.
Audio
Pronunciation
Definition
Meaning and Definition
A lunar eclipse where the moon appears reddish due to sunlight being filtered through Earth's atmosphere.
A term often used in popular culture and some religious contexts to refer to a total lunar eclipse, sometimes associated with apocalyptic or significant events.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant lexical differences. Usage is identical.
Connotations
Slight tendency for more frequent use in American media and pop culture.
Frequency
Equally low frequency in both dialects, with occasional spikes during lunar events.
Grammar
How to Use “blood moon” in a Sentence
The [blood moon] appeared.We watched the [blood moon].A [blood moon] occurs during...There will be a [blood moon].Vocabulary
Collocations
Examples
Examples of “blood moon” in a Sentence
verb
British English
- The sky will blood-moon tonight. (rare, poetic)
American English
- The moon is blood-mooning. (rare, informal)
adjective
British English
- A blood-moon night is quite atmospheric.
American English
- We had a blood-moon event last year.
Usage
Meaning in Context
Business
Rare, except in tourism (e.g., 'blood moon viewing packages').
Academic
Used informally in astronomy communication; formal papers use 'total lunar eclipse'.
Everyday
Used to describe the visual phenomenon in conversation and news headlines.
Technical
Not a standard technical term; used descriptively in popular science.
Watch out
Common Mistakes When Using “blood moon”
- Capitalising it as a proper noun (Blood Moon) unless in a specific cultural/religious context.
- Using it to refer to any red-looking moon (e.g., due to pollution or haze).
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, a 'blood moon' specifically refers to the visual appearance of the moon during a total lunar eclipse.
Total lunar eclipses (blood moons) happen, on average, about once every 2.5 years, though visibility varies by location.
No, it is a popular descriptive term. The scientific term is 'total lunar eclipse'.
Yes, the moon can appear red near the horizon due to atmospheric scattering (like a sunset), but this is not an eclipse and not technically a 'blood moon'.
A lunar eclipse where the moon appears reddish due to sunlight being filtered through Earth's atmosphere.
Blood moon is usually informal, journalistic, sometimes technical (astronomy) in register.
Blood moon: in British English it is pronounced /ˈblʌd ˌmuːn/, and in American English it is pronounced /ˈblʌd ˌmun/. Tap the audio buttons above to hear it.
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Once in a blood moon (play on 'once in a blue moon')”
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of the Earth's shadow turning the moon the colour of blood.
Conceptual Metaphor
THE MOON IS A LIVING ENTITY (bleeding, dying, being reborn). CELESTIAL EVENTS ARE OMENS.
Practice
Quiz
What primarily causes the 'blood moon' phenomenon?