waxing moon

noun

A moon (usually the Moon, that is, Earth's moon) when it appears larger each night as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon: a moon in any of the increasing lunar phases.

Opposite
waning moon
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Meanings

nounwaxing moon (plural waxing moons)

plural waxing moons

  1. A moon (usually the Moon, that is, Earth's moon) when it appears larger each night as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon: a moon in any of the increasing lunar phases.

    Antonyms: waning moon

Synonyms & antonyms

nounA moon (usually the Moon, that is, Earth's moon) when it appears larger each night as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon: a moon in any of the increasing lunar phases.

Opposite
waning moon
Also see
new moon

Origin

From waxing + moon. Compare Middle English wexinge of the mone, þe waxyng of moone, waxinge of þe mone, wexinge of þe mone (literally “(the) waxing of the moon”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Danish tiltagende måne
  • tiltagende måneThe moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
Dutch wassende maan
  • wassende maanThe moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
Finnish kasvava kuu, yläkuu
  • kasvava kuuThe moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
  • yläkuuThe moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
German zunehmender Mond
  • zunehmender MondThe moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
Hindi बालचंद्र
  • बालचंद्र (bālcandra)The moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
Italian luna crescente, fase di novilunio
  • luna crescenteThe moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
  • fase di novilunioThe moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
  • congiunzioneThe moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
Latin luna crescens
  • luna crescensThe moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
Persian هلال افزاینده
  • هلال افزاینده (helâl-e afzâyande)The moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
Portuguese lua crescente
  • lua crescenteThe moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
Spanish luna creciente
  • luna crecienteThe moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
Tamil வளர்பிறை
  • வளர்பிறை (vaḷarpiṟai)The moon as it progresses from a new moon to a full moon
Cite this entry
APA

waxing moon. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/waxing%20moon

MLA

“waxing moon.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/waxing%20moon. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “waxing moon,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/waxing%20moon.

Source: waxing moon on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.