First published 1903; not yet revised

lunaradjective & noun

Etymology
Meaning & use
Pronunciation
Frequency
Compounds & derived words

Quotations

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Factsheet

What does the word lunar mean?

There are 12 meanings listed in OED's entry for the word lunar, one of which is labelled obsolete. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

lunar has developed meanings and uses in subjects including

Entry status

OED is undergoing a continuous programme of revision to modernize and improve definitions. This entry has not yet been fully revised.

See meaning & use

How common is the word lunar?

About 4occurrences per million words in modern written English

1750	4.9
1760	3.8
1770	3.9
1780	3.1
1790	3.8
1800	4.5
1810	4.3
1820	4.4
1830	3.7
1840	3.9
1850	3.4
1860	3.7
1870	3.3
1880	3.3
1890	2.7
1900	2.4
1910	2.0
1920	1.9
1930	2.0
1940	2.3
1950	3.2
1960	4.1
1970	4.2
1980	3.8
1990	3.3
2000	3.2
2010	3.1

See frequency

How is the word lunar pronounced?

British English

/ˈluːnə/

LOO-nuh

/ˈljuːnə/

LYOO-nuh

U.S. English

/ˈlunər/

LOO-nuhr

See pronunciation

Where does the word lunar come from?

Earliest known use

early 1600s

The earliest known use of the word lunar is in the early 1600s.

OED's earliest evidence for lunar is from 1626, in the writing of Francis Bacon, lord chancellor, politician, and philosopher.

lunar is a borrowing from Latin.

Etymons: Latin lūnāris.

See etymology

Nearby entries

lump sum, n.1867–
lump work, n.1851–
lumpy, adj.1707–
lum-sweeper, n.1697–
luna, n.c1386–
lunabase, n.1944–
lunacy, n.1541–
lunacy commissioner, n.1831–
lunambulism, n.1846–
Luna Park, n.1911–
lunar, adj. & n.1626–
lunar cycle, n.1704–
lunar day, n.1686–
lunar dial, n.1728–
lunar distance, n.1830–
lunar-diurnal, adj.1856–
lunar equation, n.1712–
lunar horoscope, n.1728–
lunar hour, n.1862–
lunarian, adj. & n.1708–
lunarist, n.1863–

Browse more nearby entries

Etymology

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Compounds & derived words

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Entry history for lunar, adj. & n.

lunar, adj. & n. was first published in 1903; not yet revised

lunar, adj. & n. was last modified in December 2023

Revision of the OED is a long-term project. Entries in oed.com which have not been revised may include:

corrections and revisions to definitions, pronunciation, etymology, headwords, variant spellings, quotations, and dates;
new senses, phrases, and quotations which have been added in subsequent print and online updates.

Revisions and additions of this kind were last incorporated into lunar, adj. & n. in December 2023.

Earlier versions of lunar, adj. & n. were published in:

OED First Edition (1903)

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OED Second Edition (1989)

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View lunar, adj. & n. in Second Edition

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Oxford English Dictionary, s.v. “,” , .

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Citation details

Factsheet for lunar, adj. & n.

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Nearby entries

lump sum, n.1867–
lump work, n.1851–
lumpy, adj.1707–
lum-sweeper, n.1697–
luna, n.c1386–
lunabase, n.1944–
lunacy, n.1541–
lunacy commissioner, n.1831–
lunambulism, n.1846–
Luna Park, n.1911–
lunar, adj. & n.1626–
lunar cycle, n.1704–
lunar day, n.1686–
lunar dial, n.1728–
lunar distance, n.1830–
lunar-diurnal, adj.1856–
lunar equation, n.1712–
lunar horoscope, n.1728–
lunar hour, n.1862–
lunarian, adj. & n.1708–
lunarist, n.1863–

Browse more nearby entries