What does moonwalker mean?
A moonwalker literally means a person who has walked on the Moon, a designation most often associated with the astronauts of the Apollo missions. In informal usage, it can also mean a performer who executes a moonwalk, a dance movement characterized by smooth, backward gliding steps. The literal sense is historically specific rather than a general synonym for astronaut, since it identifies those who actually travelled to the Moon and walked on its surface. The dance sense is broader and more playful, and it is sometimes used to describe someone whose movement resembles gliding or travelling weightlessly. Although relatively uncommon as a standalone noun, moonwalker has a memorable dual meaning that links space exploration with popular dance.
nounA person who has walked on the Moon; informally, a person who performs the dance movement known as a moonwalk.
- A person who has walked on the Moon.
- Informally, a dancer who performs a moonwalk.
"The pioneering moonwalkers explored the lunar surface during the Apollo missions."
"Only twelve people have walked on the Moon, and all of them became moonwalkers."
"The dancer's smooth moonwalk made the audience applaud."
The regular plural is used for people who have walked on the Moon and, informally, performers who execute a moonwalk.
"The famous moonwalkers became enduring symbols of the Space Age."
A moonwalker can be an Apollo astronaut or, in informal usage, a performer who slides backward on the moonwalk.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does moonwalker come from?
Moonwalker is a modern English compound formed from moon and walker. Its literal use developed in connection with human lunar exploration during the twentieth century. The element moon has Germanic ancestry and is related to Latin luna, the source of lunar; month and Monday also belong to the wider historical family of words associated with the Moon and the measurement of lunar months.
Related word forms
How moonwalker is actually used
The literal sense is chiefly historical and commemorative, referring to the people who walked on the Moon during the Apollo missions. The dance-related sense is informal and often used figuratively.