moonlighter

1 7.5

A person who works a second job often at night

noun
/ˈmuːnˌlaɪtər/

: trabajador nocturno

For example, the part-timer hoping for a full-time opportunity brings certain motivations and expectations to the position that a moonlighter might not bring (such as, "If I do well, I will be hired full-time").

Examples

Starr continued to earn approximately $1 million per year in private legal practice as a lawyer for the prestigious Kirkland & Ellis firm in Washington, leading some to criticize him as a high-priced moonlighter.

Academic text (1998)
You're not a moonlighter or someone trying something because you don't know what else to do.

Blog text (21)
The moonlighters reported quite unambiguous reasons for moonlighting during both the school year and the summers.

Academic text (1992)
They're moonlighters.

Critical Condition (1987)
Many people become moonlighters to earn extra income while keeping their regular jobs.
As a moonlighter, she worked at a restaurant in the evenings after her day job.
The trend of moonlighters taking on freelance work is increasing in today's economy.

Synonyms

sideliner

vsmoonlighter

5.6

A person who has a second job to earn extra money

often works extra at night rather than any secondary venture

nixer

vsmoonlighter

Slang

9.9

A person who does casual jobs to earn extra money and often does not declare them

usually has an extra paid job that is scheduled and may be official

How Many Jobs

job-hopper

1 6.5

moonlighter

1 7.5

unemployed person

1 2.0

Surface Forms

moonlighter singular

moonlighters plural

Morphology

moonlighter = moonlight (semi-transparent) = moon + light + er

Regular agentive derivation from the verb 'moonlight' (someone who does the action).

Etymology

Moonlighter comes from moonlight, the light of the moon, giving the image of someone working 'at night' by the moon. So a moonlighter is someone who has a second job, often at night or in addition to their main work.