Etymology The adjective is derived from Middle English moist, moiste [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman moist, moiste, moste, Middle French moiste, and Old French moiste, muste (“damp, moist, wet”) (modern French moite); further etymology uncertain, perhaps a blend of a Late Latin variant of Latin mūcidus (“mouldy, musty”) + a Late Latin derivative of Latin mustum (“unfermented or partially fermented grape juice or wine, must”). The noun is derived from the adjective.
Characterized by the presence of moisture; not dry; slightly wet; damp.
Will theſe moyſt Trees, / That haue out-liu'd the Eagle, page thy heeles / And skip when thou point'ſt out?c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 92, column 2:
And [the Angel of the Lord] made the mids of the fornace, as it had bene a moiſt whiſtling wind, ſo that the fire touched them not at all, neither hurt nor troubled them.1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Prayer of Azariah, verse 26, column 1:
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[Y]et the North-ſide [of the pyramids of Giza] moſt worne, by reaſon of the humiditie of the Northerne wind, which here is the moiſteſt.1625, [Samuel] Purchas, “Relations of Africa, Taken Out of Master George Sandys His Larger Discourse Obserued in His Iourney, Begun Ann. 1610. Lib. 2.”, in Purchas His Pilgrimes. […], 2nd part, London: […] William Stansby for Henrie Fetherstone, […], →OCLC, 6th book, § III (The Pyramides Viewed, Sphynx and Other Antiquities. Iourney from Cairo to Gaza.), page 908:
[W]e ſee Swines and Pigs Fleſh is the Moiſteſt of Fleſhes.1631, Francis [Bacon], “V. Century. [Experiments in Consort, Touching the Melioration of Fruits, Trees, and Plants.]”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], 3rd edition, London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC, paragraph 465, page 117:
Whilſt thee the ſhores, and ſounding Seas / Waſh far away, where ere thy bones are hurld, / Whether beyond the ſtormy Hebrides, / Where thou perhaps under the whelming tide / Viſit'ſt the bottom of the monſtrous world; / Or whether thou to our moiſt vows deny'd, / Sleep'ſt by the fable of Bellerus old, […]1637 (date written; published 1638), John Milton, “Lycidas”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC, page 63:
[T]he Winds / Blow moiſt and keen, ſhattering the graceful locks / Of theſe fair ſpreading Trees; […]1667, John Milton, “Book IX”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 1065–1066:
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Of eyes: wet with tears; tearful; also (obsolete), watery due to some illness or to old age.
[H]aue you not a moiſt eie, a dry hand, a yelow cheeke, a white beard, a decreaſing leg, an increaſing belly? […] and will you yet call your ſelfe yong? fie, fie, fie, ſir Iohn.c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henrie the Fourth, […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act I, scene ii]:
Come, the other are conſiderations, when wee come to haue gray heads, and weake hammes, moiſt eyes, and ſhrunke members. Wee'll thinke on 'hem then; then wee'll pray, and faſt.1609 December (first performance), Beniamin Ionson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Epicoene, or The Silent Woman. A Comœdie. […]”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson (First Folio), London: […] Will[iam] Stansby, published 1616, →OCLC, Act I, scene i, page 531:
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And on the banner which stood near / He glanced a look of holy pride, / And his moist eyes were glorified; […]a. 1851, William Wordsworth, “The White Doe of Rylstone”, in Henry [Hope] Reed, editor, The Complete Poetical Works of William Wordsworth, Philadelphia, Pa.: Hayes & Zell, […], published 1860, →OCLC, canto II, page 332, column 2:
At this the tender sound of his own voice / And sweet self-pity, or the fancy of it, / Made his eye moist; but Enid fear'd his eyes, / Moist as they were, wine-heated from the feast; […]1859, Alfred Tennyson, “Enid”, in Idylls of the King, London: Edward Moxon & Co., […], →OCLC, page 64:
Eyes moist, he [Maurice Stans] hugged one of his attorneys and later said: "I feel like I've been reborn."1974 December 6, “Trials: Mitchell and Stans: Not Guilty”, in Time, New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 Nov 2021:
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Of a climate, the weather, etc.: damp, humid, rainy.
Ye Swains, invoke the Pow'rs who rule the Sky, / For a moiſt Summer, and a Winter dry: / For Winter drout rewards the Peaſant's Pain, / And broods indulgent on the bury'd Grain.1697, Virgil, “The First Book of the Georgics”, in John Dryden, transl., The Works of Virgil: Containing His Pastorals, Georgics, and Æneis. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, page 53, lines 145–146:
[I]n the year 1752, which we may reckon among ſome of our moiſteſt Summers throughout England, more Rain fell at London than at Plymouth, according to an eſtimate made at both places; […]1758, William Borlase, “Of the Air, and Weather”, in The Natural History of Cornwall. […], Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] [F]or the author, by W. Jackson; sold by W. Sandby, […], →OCLC, page 6:
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The time is early in the evening; the weather moist and raw.1864 May – 1865 November, Charles Dickens, “Mr. Wegg Looks after Himself”, in Our Mutual Friend. […], volume I, London: Chapman and Hall, […], published 1865, →OCLC, 1st book (The Cup and the Lip), page 58:
With its mild, moist climate, Britain is uniquely placed to grow good grass. Through the centuries pastures have produced many of our basic foods including our beef and lamb; our poultry and eggs; our milk[,] butter and cheese.2008 September 8, Graham Harvey, “Steaks are high”, in Alan Rusbridger, editor, The Guardian, London: Guardian News & Media, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 14 Mar 2021:
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Informal Of the vagina: sexually lubricated due to sexual arousal; of a woman: sexually aroused, turned on.
He slid a finger in me, checking to make sure I was moist and ready for him.2008, Marcia King-Gamble, chapter 14, in Meet Phoenix (Kimani Romance), New York, N.Y.: Kimani Press, →ISBN, page 168:
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Medicine, Sciences Characterized by the presence of some fluid such as mucus, pus, etc.
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Medicine, Sciences Of sounds of internal organs (especially as heard through a stethoscope): characterized by the sound of air bubbling through a fluid.
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SciencesHistorical Pertaining to one of the four essential qualities formerly believed to be present in all things, characterized by wetness; also, having a significant amount of this quality.
[T]he moiſt ſtarre, / Vpon whoſe influence Neptunes Empier ſtands, / Was ſicke almoſt to doomeſday with eclipſe, […]c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (Second Quarto), London: […] I[ames] R[oberts] for N[icholas] L[ing] […], published 1604, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i]:
[…] Ergo it behooveth then, that the firſt age, and the firſt ſeaſon of things ſhould beginne in the moiſteſt Signe, which is Aries, and in his head, as the principall of the Members, the Fortreſſe of the Soule, and the Signe of Life.1621, William of Saluste, Lord of Bartus [i.e., Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas], “The Fourth Day of the First VVeeke of VVilliam of Salust, Lord of Bartas”, in T. L. D. M. P. [pseudonym; Thomas Lodge], transl., A Learned Summary upon the Famous Poeme of William of Saluste Lord of Bartus. […], London: […] [George Purslowe] for Iohn Grismand […], →OCLC, page 169:
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Pituita, or Fleagme, is a cold and moiſt humour, begotten of the colder part of the Chylus, (or white iuyce comming of the meat digeſted in the ſtomacke) in the Liuer, his office is to nouriſh, and moiſten the members of the body, which as the tongue, are moued, that they be no ouer-drye.1624, Democritus Junior [pseudonym; Robert Burton], “Division of the Body. Humours, Spirits.”, in The Anatomy of Melancholy: […], 2nd edition, Oxford, Oxfordshire: […] John Lichfield and James Short, for Henry Cripps, →OCLC, partition 1, section 1, member 2, subsection 2, page 13:
He [Aristotle] made four Elements; the firſt, cold and dry; the ſecond, cold and moiſt; the third, hot and moiſt; and the fourth, hot and dry. […] And Water, being the coldeſt and moiſteſt of all Things, he call'd his ſecond Element, Water.1728, E[phraim] Chambers, “ELEMENTS”, in Cyclopædia: Or, An Universal Dictionary of Arts and Sciences; […] In Two Volumes, volumes I (A–H), London: […] James and John Knapton [et al.], →OCLC, page 288, column 2:
They [fish] are cold and moiſt, and muſt needs, ſay they, produce juices of the ſame kind, and conſequently are improper to ſtrengthen the body. In this diverſity of opinion, it is the wiſest way to eat our fiſh in the ordinary manner, and pay no great attention to cooks or doctors.1791, Oliver Goldsmith, “Of Fish in General”, in An History of the Earth, and Animated Nature. […], new edition, volume VI, London: […] F[rancis] Wingrave, successor to Mr. [John] Nourse, […], →OCLC, part I (The Cetaceous Kind), pages 165–166:
Neither did the live coals, which were lying about in plenty, burn him; for, being a water-baby, his radical humours were of a moist and cold nature, […]1862 August – 1863 March, Charles Kingsley, chapter VIII, in The Water-Babies: A Fairy Tale for a Land-Baby, London; Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: Macmillan and Co., published 1863, →OCLC, page 330:
O pardon me, my liege, but for my teares, / The moiſt impediments vnto my ſpeech, / I had foreſtald this deere and deep rebuke, […]c. 1596–1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, The Second Part of Henrie the Fourth, […], quarto edition, London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Andrew Wise, and William Aspley, published 1600, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
For the chief, he in whom Pallas pour'd / Her store of counsels, Ithacus, aboard went last, and then / The moist ways of the sea they sail'd.[1611?], Homer, “Book I”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., The Iliads of Homer Prince of Poets. […], London: […] Nathaniell Butter, →OCLC; republished as The Iliads of Homer, Prince of Poets, […], new edition, volume I, London: Charles Knight and Co., […], 1843, →OCLC, page 35:
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Some being of the opinion of Thales, that water was the originall of all things, thought it most equall to ſubmit unto the principle of putrefaction, and conclude in a moiſt relentment.1658, Thomas Browne, “Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall. […]. Chapter I”, in Hydriotaphia, Urne-buriall, […] Together with The Garden of Cyrus, […], London: […] Hen[ry] Brome […], →OCLC, pages 5–6:
And the moiſt daughters of huge Atlas ſtroue / Into the Ocean deepe to driue their weary droue.1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book III, Canto I”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 57, page 407:
Ere twice in murke and occidentall dampe / Moiſt Heſperus hath quench'd her ſleepy Lampe: […]c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i], page 236, column 1:
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Nor yet, when moiſt Arcturus clouds the sky, / The woods and fields their pleaſing toils deny.1713, [Alexander] Pope, Windsor-Forest. […], London: […] Bernard Lintott […], →OCLC, page 56:
Etymology The adjective is derived from Middle English moist, moiste [and other forms], from Anglo-Norman moist, moiste, moste, Middle French moiste, and Old French moiste, muste (“damp, moist, wet”) (modern French moite); further etymology uncertain, perhaps a blend of a Late Latin variant of Latin mūcidus (“mouldy, musty”) + a Late Latin derivative of Latin mustum (“unfermented or partially fermented grape juice or wine, must”). The noun is derived from the adjective.
[T]hey launch'd the ship, the mast it bore / Advanc'd, sails hoised, every seat his oar / Gave with a leather thong. The deep moist then / They further reach'd.1614–1615, Homer, “The Eighth Book of Homer’s Odysseys”, in Geo[rge] Chapman, transl., Homer’s Odysses. […], London: […] Rich[ard] Field [and William Jaggard], for Nathaniell Butter, published 1615, →OCLC; republished in The Odysseys of Homer, […], volume I, London: John Russell Smith, […], 1857, →OCLC, page 171, lines 65–68:
Th' Arch-Angel Uriel, one of the ſeav'n / […] / That run through all the Heav'ns, or down to th' Earth / Bear his [God's] ſwift errands over moiſt and dry, / O're Sea and Land: […]1667, John Milton, “Book III”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC, lines 658 and 661–663:
From Middle English moisten, moist, moiste (“to make moist or wet; to soak in liquid; to become moist or wet; to provide with moisture or water; to satisfy thirst with liquor or water, slake”) [and other forms], and then either: * from Anglo-Norman muster (“to make moist or wet”), Middle French moistir, and Old French moistir (“to make moist or wet; to become moist or wet”) (compare enmoistir; modern French moitir), from Old French moiste, muste (“damp, moist, wet”) (see etymology 1) + -ir (suffix forming infinitives of second conjugation verbs); or * from Middle English moist, moiste (adjective) (see etymology 1), though the adjective is first attested later.
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US, Regional To make (something) moist or wet; to moisten.
Obsolete except UK
He calleth for a ſponge (ſaith Theodoritus) and therevvith moiſteth and vvaſsheth Simeones mouthe, and then geueth him the holy Sacrament.1566 January 30, Iohn Iewel [i.e. John Jewel], “M. [Thomas] Hardinge. The 21. Diuision.”, in A Replie unto M. Hardinges Ansvveare: […], London: […] Henry VVykes, →OCLC:
They [the legendary Fortunate Isles] haue raine there very ſeldom, howbeit a gentle winde commonly that bloweth in a litle ſiluer dew, which moiſteth the earth ſo finely, that it maketh it fertile and luſtie, not onely to bring forth all that is ſet or ſowen apon it but of it ſelfe without mans hand it beareth ſo good frute, as ſufficiently maintaineth the inhabitants dwelling apon it, liuing idlely, and taking no paines.1579, Plutarke of Chæronea [i.e., Plutarch], “The Life of Sertorius”, in Thomas North, transl., The Lives of the Noble Grecians and Romaines, […], London: […] Richard Field, →OCLC, page 629:
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Now no more / The iuyce of Egypts Grape ſhall moyſt this lip.c. 1606–1607 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Anthonie and Cleopatra”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act V, scene ii], page 367, column 1:
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Figuratively, Obsolete To inspire, to refresh (someone); also, to soften (one's heart).
Obsolete To have an effect of moistening or wetting.
Auyſing the bright bemes of theſe fayer Iyes / where he is that myn oft moiſteth & waſſhethc. 1527–1542, Thomas Wyatt, “Auysing the bright bemes of these fayer Iyes”, in Egerton MS 2711, page 22r:
Againe, nothyng moiſteth ſoner then water. Therefore, a wepyng eye cauſeth muche moiſture, and prouoketh teares.1553, “Of Mouyng Pitie”, in Thomas Wilson, transl., The Arte of Rhetorike, for the Use of All sutche as are Studious of Eloquence, […], London: […] Jhon Kyngston, published 1580, →OCLC, page 136:
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There is other ſome yͭ [that] heateth temperately. And another yͭ cooleth temperatly, and if moiſtneſſe be ioyned therewith, it moiſteth, and with a drie thinge, it drieth.[1575], Thomas Paynell, transl., Regimen Sanitatis Salerni. […] [Governance of Hygiene of Salerno], London: […] Wyllyam How, for Abraham Veale, →OCLC, folio ciii, verso:
[S]prinkle a vessel of water, and it moisteth not, but cast it out wholly together, and it both washeth and nourisheth. This notable saying, before this time hath encourage Emperors, animated Kings, and allured Princes, to conquer realmes to them adjoining, to vanquish nations to their dominions adjacent, and to subdue people either necessary for their purpose, or being to them daily enemies and continual adversaries.1885, Henry J[ames] Swallow, “Ralph de Nevill, First Earl of Westmoreland”, in De Nova Villa: Or, The House of Nevill in Sunshine and Shade, Newcastle-upon-Tyne: Andrew Reid, […]; London: Griffith, Farran, & Co., […], →OCLC, page 42: