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waning

waning

6.2
The moon's lit part becomes smaller each night
  • adjective
  • /ˈweɪnɪŋ/
translation icon : menguante
  • Farmers often used the waning phase of the moon to determine the best time for planting certain crops.

Examples

  • As the month progresses, the waning phase becomes more noticeable.

  • The harvest festival was held under a waning moon.

  • As the waning moon rose, the night became darker and quieter.

  • The waning moon shone faintly in the night sky.

  • As the waning moon illuminated the garden, shadows grew longer and softer.

  • The waning moon is a perfect time for stargazing, as it provides less light pollution.

  • During the waning phase, the moon appears smaller and less bright in the sky.

Synonyms

fading
vswaning
1 3.0

A slow loss of strength, color, or sound over time

is the specific phase when the Moon's visible light decreases
darkening
vswaning
3.4

Becoming less light as evening comes or clouds gather

is about the shrinking lit portion seen from Earth rather than getting generally darker

Antonyms

4.6

When the moon's visible part is getting larger

Surface Forms

waning positive

Morphology

waning = wane (transparent) = wane + ing

Adjectival use formed directly from the verb 'wane' with the standard participial suffix '-ing', meaning 'decreasing'.

Etymology

Waning comes from the old English verb wane, which means 'to decrease'. It was first used for the Moon when its bright part 'grows less', so a waning moon shows less light each night.