luna

noun

1. 1

   A luna moth: a member of species Actias luna.

   “Gee,” whispered Oliver. He sat there staring. “A luna! I never thought I’d see a real luna!”

   On the previous evening we had discovered with delight a luna with the fabulous moons, one on each pale green wing.

   Spray BT on your young oak to protect against gypsy moths, and you wipe out future lunas, cecropias, and everything else on the leaves, along with the pests.

2. 2

   A lunette: a crescent-shaped receptacle, often glass, for holding the (consecrated) host (the bread of communion) upright when exposed in the monstrance.

   The Bread of Angels is first taken from the tabernacle, where it rests in the luna, and placed upon the altar, covered with a corporal. After genuflecting, the priest puts the luna containing the Blessed Sacrament on its throne—the monstrance—and elevates it […]

   The luna, which is a piece of glass in the shape of a moon, contains the Blessed Sacrament, previously consecrated. The luna is then placed in the middle of the sunburst of the monstrance.

noun

1. 1

   A foreman on a plantation.

   There are several reasons why the Hawaiian-born Japanese boys and girls do not take kindly to plantation labor, but one of the chief reasons is the objection to the kind of lunas who oversee the work of the laborers.

   […] haoles could not visualize Chinese or Japanese in positions of authority. And from sad experience, the great plantation owners had discovered that the Americans they could get to serve as lunas were positively no good. Capable Americans expected office jobs and incapable ones were unable to control the Oriental […]

   After the day was over I went to the luna to count my day but he would not. Then I went to him the second time and he said he would not put it down.

   Capital punishment was outlawed by the government but some plantation managers and luna still delivered lashings and other forms of abuse.

Forms

plural

lunas