man in the moon

a fancied semblance of a human face in the disk of the full moon, so perceived because of variations in the moon's topography.

Origin of man in the moon

Middle English word dating back to 1275–1325

The man-in-the-moon has found a circulation throughout the world.

Traditions of Lancashire, Volume 1 (of 2) |John Roby
"Good evening, you mischief-maker," replied the Man-in-the-Moon.

Seven O'Clock Stories |Robert Gordon Anderson
"Well, here's something to play with when you get back to earth," said the Old Man-in-the-Moon.

Seven O'Clock Stories |Robert Gordon Anderson
I don't care about the man-in-the-moon very much, though Allee likes him.

At the Little Brown House |Ruth Alberta Brown

The Man-in-the-Moon winked at them three times, once with his right eye, once with his left eye, then again with the right.

Seven O'Clock Stories |Robert Gordon Anderson

man in the moon

the moon when considered to resemble the face of a man

(in folklore and nursery rhyme) a character dwelling in the moon