Etymology Explorer › English

Where does “moonshine” come from?

Moonshine derives from Middle English shinen and Middle English mine, tracing through Proto-Germanic mēnô and Proto-Indo-European mḗh₁n̥s, ultimately from Proto-Indo-European roots skai-, men-, and men-.

moonshine (English): The light of the moon; High-proof alcohol that...

Definitions

  1. The light of the moon; High-proof alcohol that...

Ancestry of “moonshine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmoonAny natural satellite of a planet; A month,...
2Middle EnglishmoneA lamentation; A moan, complaint; The celestial...
3Old Englishmānbad, criminal, false; shameful act; crime;...
4Sanskritमहादेव—
5Sanskritमहाcombining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,...
6Sanskritमहायान—
7Sanskritयानcarriage, vehicle, mode of transport; moving,...
8Proto-Indo-AryanyáHnam—
9Proto-Indo-IranianyáHnam—
10Proto-Indo-Europeanyéh₂-nom—
11Proto-Indo-Europeanyeh₂-to go; to go in, enter; to ride, to travel

Words derived from “moonshine”

  • moonshiner
  • moonshining
  • moonshiny
Every word from Proto-Indo-European yeh₂- →