Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🌗 Changeable mood 💭 Dreamy or absent-minded 🌕 Like the moon
moonish

moonish

8.6
Having moods that change often, sometimes happy and sad
  • adjective
  • /ˈmuːnɪʃ/
  • Archaic
translation icon : lunar
  • The artist was known for his moonish temperament, sometimes cheerful and sometimes withdrawn.

Examples

  • Her moonish moods made it hard for her friends to know what to expect.

  • Because of his moonish nature, his decisions often surprised everyone around him.

  • She felt quite moonish today.

  • His moonish behavior confused everyone at the party.

  • Her moonish moods often left her friends unsure of how to approach her.

  • The author's moonish disposition led to unpredictable changes in his writing style.

  • Everyone knew he had a moonish personality, shifting from joy to sadness without warning.

Synonyms

moody
vsmoonish
50 3.2

Often feels angry or sad quickly for no clear reason

is changeable in temperament in a regular phase like pattern
temperamental
vsmoonish
12 6.5

Tends to change mood suddenly and act in an unexpected way

is changeable in temperament in a steady phase like way
a bit switchy
vsmoonish
  • UK
9.2

Often changes mood or behavior quickly and without warning

is changeable in temperament in a regular repeating pattern

Antonyms

stable
473 2.3

Not likely to change and stays steady over time

consistent
107 3.1

Not changing in quality or form over time

How Moody

volatile
34 7.4
capricious
19 7.9
temperamental
12 6.5
moonish
  • Archaic
8.6
moody
50 3.2

Surface Forms

moonish positive

Morphology

moonish = moon (semi-transparent) = moon + ish

The connection to 'moon' is clear, but the specific metaphorical meaning of mood changeability is not directly derivable.

Etymology

Moonish comes from moon and the ending -ish, where -ish means 'like', and people long believed the moon's changing phases were tied to changing feelings. So moonish describes a person who is 'changeable in mood', like the phases of the moon.