'moonshine' originates from the English words 'moon' and 'shine', where 'moon' referred to the night and 'shine' referred to the light, metaphorically used to describe the clandestine nature of illegal distilling done at night.

'moonshine' was used in the 18th century to describe smuggled goods, and eventually became associated with illegal whiskey.

Initially, it meant 'smuggled goods', but over time it evolved into its current meaning of 'illegally distilled whiskey'.