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Moonlight vs Starlight - What's the difference?

moonlight | starlight |

As nouns the difference between moonlight and starlight

is that moonlight is the light reflected from the moon while starlight is light emitted from stars other than the Sun.

As a verb moonlight

is to work on the side (at a secondary job), often in the evening or during the night.

moonlight

English

Noun

(-)
  • The light reflected from the moon.Webster's College Dictionary , Random House, 2001
  • (attributive) Illuminated by the light from the moon.The Illustrated Oxford Dictionary , Oxford University Press, 1998
  • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To work on the side (at a secondary job), often in the evening or during the night.
  • (by extension) To engage in an activity other than what one is known for.
  • Usage notes

    In American English, to moonlight is simply to work at secondary employment;Mish, Drederick C. (ed.). 1995. Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary.'' 10th ed. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster. in British English, it used to imply working secretly (i.e., not paying tax on the extra money earned), but more recent editions of some UK dictionaries no longer mention a difference to the US usage.Treffry, Diana (ed.). 1999. ''Collins Paperback English Dictionary. 4th ed. Glasgow: HarperCollins.

    Derived terms

    * moonlighter

    References

    starlight

    English

    Noun

    (-)
  • Light emitted from stars other than the Sun
  • * Milton
  • Nor walk by moon, / Or glittering starlight , without thee is sweet.

    Derived terms

    * starlit