"once in a blue moon" meaning in English

See once in a blue moon in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Adverb

IPA: /wʌns ɪn ə bluː muːn/ Audio: en-au-once in a blue moon.ogg
Etymology: See blue moon. First use appears c. 1833. See cite below. Head templates: {{en-adv|-}} once in a blue moon (not comparable)
  1. (idiomatic) Very rarely; very infrequently. Tags: idiomatic, not-comparable Categories (topical): Astronomy, Moon, Time Synonyms: rarely Related terms: blue moon Translations (very rarely): 千載難逢 (Chinese Cantonese), 千载难逢 (cin¹ zoi² naan⁴ fung⁴) (Chinese Cantonese), 十年唔逢一閏 (Chinese Cantonese), 十年唔逢一闰 (sap⁶ nin⁴ m⁴ fung⁴ jat¹ jeon⁶) (Chinese Cantonese), 千載難逢 (Chinese Mandarin), 千载难逢 (qiānzǎinánféng) (Chinese Mandarin), jednou za uherský rok (Czech), eens in de zoveel tijd (Dutch), ege malofte (Esperanto), todella harvoin (Finnish), tous les trente-six du mois (english: on every thirty-sixth day of the month) (French), une fois toutes les lunes (French), ათასში ერთხელ (atasši ertxel) (Georgian), alle Jubeljahre (German), στη χάση και στη φέξη (sti chási kai sti féxi) (Greek), uair sna naoi n-aird (Irish), uair umá seach (Irish), una volta ogni morte di papa (Italian), ogni morte di papa (Italian), ごくまれに (gokumare ni) (Japanese), raz na ruski rok (Polish), od wielkiego dzwonu (Polish), de vez em nunca (Portuguese), uma vez na vida, outra na morte (Portuguese), раз в сто ле́т (raz v sto lét) (english: once every hundred years) (Russian), uair san ràith (Scottish Gaelic), raz za uhorský rok (Slovak), cada muerte de obispo (Spanish), de guindas a brevas (Spanish), de higos a brevas (Spanish), de Pascuas a Ramos (Spanish), de ciento a viento (Spanish), de ciento en viento (Spanish), มากไม่ค่อย (Thai), kırk yılda bir (Turkish)
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  "etymology_text": "See blue moon. First use appears c. 1833. See cite below.",
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
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            "Fundamental"
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          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "topical",
          "langcode": "en",
          "name": "Moon",
          "orig": "en:Moon",
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            "Light",
            "Moons",
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            "Space",
            "Energy",
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          "text": "Coordinate term: once in a purple moon"
        },
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          "ref": "1833, J. Lection (publisher), The Athenæum, page 780:",
          "text": "We are no advocates for the eternal system of producing foreign operas to the exclusion of the works of English composers, but once in a blue moon such a thing may be allowed.",
          "type": "quote"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1933, James Hilton, Lost Horizon, published 1973, page 133:",
          "text": "[T]ime expanded and space contracted, and the name Blue Moon took on a symbolic meaning, as if the future, so delicately plausible, were of a kind that might happen once in a blue moon only.",
          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "Very rarely; very infrequently."
      ],
      "id": "en-once_in_a_blue_moon-en-adv-uWXq7qqu",
      "links": [
        [
          "rarely",
          "rarely"
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          "infrequently",
          "infrequently"
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      "raw_glosses": [
        "(idiomatic) Very rarely; very infrequently."
      ],
      "related": [
        {
          "word": "blue moon"
        }
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      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "rarely"
        }
      ],
      "tags": [
        "idiomatic",
        "not-comparable"
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "yue",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "千載難逢"
        },
        {
          "code": "yue",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "roman": "cin¹ zoi² naan⁴ fung⁴",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "千载难逢"
        },
        {
          "code": "yue",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "十年唔逢一閏"
        },
        {
          "code": "yue",
          "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
          "roman": "sap⁶ nin⁴ m⁴ fung⁴ jat¹ jeon⁶",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "十年唔逢一闰"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "千載難逢"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "qiānzǎinánféng",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "千载难逢"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "jednou za uherský rok"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "eens in de zoveel tijd"
        },
        {
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "ege malofte"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "todella harvoin"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "english": "on every thirty-sixth day of the month",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "tous les trente-six du mois"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "une fois toutes les lunes"
        },
        {
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "atasši ertxel",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "ათასში ერთხელ"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "alle Jubeljahre"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "sti chási kai sti féxi",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "στη χάση και στη φέξη"
        },
        {
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "uair sna naoi n-aird"
        },
        {
          "code": "ga",
          "lang": "Irish",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "uair umá seach"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "una volta ogni morte di papa"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "ogni morte di papa"
        },
        {
          "code": "ja",
          "lang": "Japanese",
          "roman": "gokumare ni",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "ごくまれに"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "raz na ruski rok"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "od wielkiego dzwonu"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "de vez em nunca"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "uma vez na vida, outra na morte"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "english": "once every hundred years",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "raz v sto lét",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "раз в сто ле́т"
        },
        {
          "code": "gd",
          "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "uair san ràith"
        },
        {
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "raz za uhorský rok"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "cada muerte de obispo"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "de guindas a brevas"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "de higos a brevas"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "de Pascuas a Ramos"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "de ciento a viento"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "de ciento en viento"
        },
        {
          "code": "th",
          "lang": "Thai",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "มากไม่ค่อย"
        },
        {
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "very rarely",
          "word": "kırk yılda bir"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
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      "ipa": "/wʌns ɪn ə bluː muːn/"
    },
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      "audio": "en-au-once in a blue moon.ogg",
      "mp3_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/transcoded/a/a0/En-au-once_in_a_blue_moon.ogg/En-au-once_in_a_blue_moon.ogg.mp3",
      "ogg_url": "https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/En-au-once_in_a_blue_moon.ogg"
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  ],
  "word": "once in a blue moon"
}
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  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "adv",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "blue moon"
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    {
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      "examples": [
        {
          "text": "Coordinate term: once in a purple moon"
        },
        {
          "ref": "1833, J. Lection (publisher), The Athenæum, page 780:",
          "text": "We are no advocates for the eternal system of producing foreign operas to the exclusion of the works of English composers, but once in a blue moon such a thing may be allowed.",
          "type": "quote"
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        {
          "ref": "1933, James Hilton, Lost Horizon, published 1973, page 133:",
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          "type": "quote"
        }
      ],
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        "Very rarely; very infrequently."
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          "rarely",
          "rarely"
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          "infrequently",
          "infrequently"
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        "(idiomatic) Very rarely; very infrequently."
      ],
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        {
          "word": "rarely"
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        "idiomatic",
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      "ipa": "/wʌns ɪn ə bluː muːn/"
    },
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  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "千載難逢"
    },
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "roman": "cin¹ zoi² naan⁴ fung⁴",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "千载难逢"
    },
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "十年唔逢一閏"
    },
    {
      "code": "yue",
      "lang": "Chinese Cantonese",
      "roman": "sap⁶ nin⁴ m⁴ fung⁴ jat¹ jeon⁶",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "十年唔逢一闰"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "千載難逢"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "qiānzǎinánféng",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "千载难逢"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "jednou za uherský rok"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "eens in de zoveel tijd"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "ege malofte"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "todella harvoin"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "english": "on every thirty-sixth day of the month",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "tous les trente-six du mois"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "une fois toutes les lunes"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "atasši ertxel",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "ათასში ერთხელ"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "alle Jubeljahre"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "sti chási kai sti féxi",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "στη χάση και στη φέξη"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "uair sna naoi n-aird"
    },
    {
      "code": "ga",
      "lang": "Irish",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "uair umá seach"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "una volta ogni morte di papa"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "ogni morte di papa"
    },
    {
      "code": "ja",
      "lang": "Japanese",
      "roman": "gokumare ni",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "ごくまれに"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "raz na ruski rok"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "od wielkiego dzwonu"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "de vez em nunca"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "uma vez na vida, outra na morte"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "english": "once every hundred years",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "raz v sto lét",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "раз в сто ле́т"
    },
    {
      "code": "gd",
      "lang": "Scottish Gaelic",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "uair san ràith"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "raz za uhorský rok"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "cada muerte de obispo"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "de guindas a brevas"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "de higos a brevas"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "de Pascuas a Ramos"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "de ciento a viento"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "de ciento en viento"
    },
    {
      "code": "th",
      "lang": "Thai",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "มากไม่ค่อย"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "very rarely",
      "word": "kırk yılda bir"
    }
  ],
  "word": "once in a blue moon"
}

Download raw JSONL data for once in a blue moon meaning in English (6.3kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2024-11-06 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2024-10-02 using wiktextract (fbeafe8 and 7f03c9b). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.