What does the phrase "many moons" refer to?

Question

Does it refer to a night or the phases of the moon?

Answer 1

To understand the phrase "many moons" or "many moons ago," you first need to understand the origin of the word "moon" which originally was simply a term of measurement that, yes, centered around the phases of the Earth's moon.

moon (n.)
O.E. mona, from P.Gmc. *mænon- (cf. O.S., O.H.G. mano, O.Fris. mona, O.N. mani, Du. maan, Ger. Mond, Goth. mena "moon"), from PIE *me(n)ses- "moon, month" (cf. Skt. masah "moon, month;" Avestan ma, Pers. mah, Arm. mis "month;" Gk. mene "moon," men "month;" L. mensis "month;" O.C.S. meseci, Lith. menesis "moon, month;" O.Ir. mi, Welsh mis, Bret. miz "month"), probably from base *me- "to measure," in ref. to the moon's phases as the measure of time. In Gk., Italic, Celtic, Armenian the cognate words now mean only "month." Gk. selene (Lesbian selanna) is from selas "light, brightness (of heavenly bodies)."

Thus, the term "many moons ago" has simply evolved into a phrase meaning "a long time ago." It is old-fashioned and trite. While I have used it in my writing, it is an idiom that is not understood by everyone and should be replaced with a more precise phrase.

Here are three additional moon idioms:

Over the moon
If you are over the moon about something, you are overjoyed.

Once in a blue moon
If something happens once in a blue moon, it happens very rarely indeed.

Hung the moon
If you refer to someone as having hung the moon, you think they are extremely wonderful, or amazing, or good.

Answer 2

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RE:
What does the phrase "many moons" refer to?
Does it refer to a night or the phases of the moon?

Answer 3

Hello,,each month there is a full moon ,sometimes two, the time frame between is described as one moon, so if you have the desire to look up to the sky for a perspective of telling time, like the constellations are different throughout the year, the the concept of many moons have past, or many moons to come mean something to your listener.

Answer 4

The phases of the moon. Usually people mean "many years" when they say "many moons," but you know how it takes about a month for the moon to go from new to full and back to new. Many moons is many months.

Answer 5

Many Moons Ago

Answer 6

Many moons, as in 'many moons ago' refers to a long time ago. It most certainly does NOT refer to a night, but probably does refer to the phases of the moon, wherein it goes, many phases-of-the-moon ago instead of many moons ago.

Answer 7

Usually refers to the passing of time, many moons= many days, nights etc

Answer 8

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Yes, it is. It reduces the Bible, which as a Christian I believe is God's word to us, to superstition. Lack of faith and fear, I think, are the causes of this incredible assertion. Some of us are so afraid that by admitting that there are translational errors -- sometimes very serious ones -- in the Bible, we're insinuating that it can't hold God's truth. This idea is, in philosophical and theological terms, baloney. God gave us brains and expects us to use them. Having done that, He didn't have to make the Bible or any of its translations, magical or magically inerrant.

Answer 9

It's a unit of time spoken in the vernacular of a Native American as indicating a term of months in the Gregorian calendar.

Answer 10

It's an expression used to denote the passage of a long period of time - 'many moons ago'/ means a long time ago.