Where does “moonshine” come from?

moonshine (Portuguese) comes from English moonshine, from English moon, from Middle English mone, from Old English mān, from Sanskrit महादेव, from Sanskrit महा, from Proto-Indo-Aryan maźʰā́, from Proto-Indo-Iranian maȷ́ʰā́ — big, great.

moonshine (Portuguese): moonshine Appalachian homemade liquor

Definitions

  1. moonshine Appalachian homemade liquor

Ancestry of “moonshine”, step by step

StepLanguageWordMeaning
1EnglishmoonshineThe light of the moon; High-proof alcohol that...
2EnglishmoonAny natural satellite of a planet; A month,...
3Middle EnglishmoneA lamentation; A moan, complaint; The celestial...
4Old Englishmānbad, criminal, false; shameful act; crime;...
5Sanskritमहादेवthe "great God"
6Sanskritमहाcombining form of महत्; buffalo; great, large,...
7Proto-Indo-Aryanmaźʰā́
8Proto-Indo-Iranianmaȷ́ʰā́big, great
9Proto-Indo-Europeanméǵh₂sbig, great
Every word from Proto-Indo-European méǵh₂s