supermoon
noun
su·per·moon
ˈsü-pər-ˌmün
plural supermoons
: a full moon occurring when the moon is at or near the closest point in its orbit
A supermoon … occurs when the moon is full within 24 hours of being at its closest point to the Earth in its orbit.—Kaleigh Rogers
Visible supermoons appear 14% bigger and 30% brighter than full moons that occur at the farthest point in the moon's orbit.—Karen Hao
As the first and only supermoon of 2017 rose high into the sky this Sunday (Dec. 3), astrophotographers seized the opportunity to shoot the moon in all its bigger-than-usual glory.—Hanneke Weitering
Cite this Entry
“Supermoon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/supermoon. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
