new moon

noun

1

: the moon's phase when it is in conjunction with the sun so that its dark side is toward the earth

also : the thin crescent moon seen shortly after sunset for a few days after the actual occurrence of the new moon phase

2

: the beginning of each Jewish month marked by a special liturgy

Examples of new moon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

January’s new moon, which will occur on Wednesday, Jan. 29, will signal the beginning of the Chinese Lunar New Year (also called Chinese New Year), the Year of the Snake. —Jamie Carter, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025

By the 19th, the sun debuts in Aquarius, and your love life gets a bit more spontaneous and unpredictable, especially with a new moon in the same sign encouraging you to break free from the monotony and take a more exhilarating approach to romance. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 10 Jan. 2025

Seasonal black moon: The third new moon in a season that contains four new moons. —Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 29 Nov. 2024

The month wraps up with a visionary new moon in Aquarius on Jan. 29, setting the stage for new beginnings. —Valerie Mesa, People.com, 1 Jan. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

new moon

noun

: the moon's phase when its dark side is toward the earth

also : the thin curved outline of the moon seen shortly after sunset for a few days after the actual occurrence of the new moon phase