molly
noun
any of certain livebearing freshwater fishes of the genus Poecilia (formerlyMollienisia ), popular in home aquariums.
molly
1 American
[mol-ee]
/ ˈmɒl i /
noun
-
mollies
plural
molly
2
American
[mol-ee]
/ ˈmɒl i /
noun
-
mollies
plural
molly
3
American
[mol-ee]
/ ˈmɒl i /
molly
4
American
[mol-ee myool]
/ ˈmɒl i ˌmjul /
noun
Molly
5
American
[mol-ee]
/ ˈmɒl i /
noun
molly
1
British
/ ˈmɒlɪ /
noun
molly
2
British
/ ˈmɒlɪ /
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of molly1
First recorded in 1930–35; shortened from New Latin Mollienisia, named after French statesman Count F. N. Mollien (1758–1850); see -ia
Origin of molly2
First recorded in 1930–35; formerly a trademark
Origin of molly3
First recorded in 1975–80; origin uncertain; perhaps a shortening of black molly, a tropical aquarium fish supposedly resembling the black pills; other authorities suggest it is a shortening and alteration of molecule ( def. )
Origin of molly4
First recorded in 1980–85; generic use of the proper name
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Morris and molly dancers accompanied by musicians joined the parade through the town as people lined the streets.
From BBC ● Jan. 13, 2024
Organisms like the salmon and molly that can tolerate a relatively wide range of salinity are referred to as euryhaline organisms.
From Textbooks ● Jun. 9, 2022
In the sulfur-infused ponds of Tabasco state in Mexico lives a tiny silver slip of a fish, the sulphur molly.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 22, 2021
To learn more about the enigmatic behavior, Lukas, Krause and their colleagues braved harsh conditions to observe the sulfur molly waves up close.
From Scientific American ● Dec. 22, 2021
A few days after molly arrives at Vivian’s, she texts Ralph to let him know where she is.
From "Orphan Train" by Christina Baker Kline
"Molly Tea may be doing well in China, but it's nowhere near Louis Vuitton’s global profile... I think some people feel the lawsuit was inappropriate," she told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 18, 2026
The grainy footage, which has no audio, is said to show her wearing a yellow shirt, a baseball cap and a backpack while browsing items, including Molly the bird.
From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026
Saint is survived by her children, Darrell and Laurette; four grandchildren, Eli, Tyler, Molly and Stella; and two great grandchildren, Arlo and Finley.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 6, 2026
Molly Duane of Amplify Legal, the lawyer who is representing Walker’s estate, told me that she expects the doctors to blame the state and the state to blame the doctors.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2026
He stared at her, and she decided that Molly was absolutely right.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
She just had some questions how to treat ich, an illness that had wiped out her mollies.
From New York Times ● Mar. 17, 2023
Small freshwater fish called sulfur mollies synchronously splash their tails to create waves, and scientists have now demonstrated that this strategy can deter hungry birds.
From Scientific American ● Mar. 6, 2022
Kingfishers, for instance, cannonball into the water and provoke the mollies into flashing nearly every time.
From Seattle Times ● Dec. 22, 2021
Few other creatures can survive these conditions, so the mollies have no predators within the streams.
From Science Magazine ● Dec. 22, 2021
“I turn my back for five minutes and everybody lets my black mollies die off. I should’ve taken them to college with me. I knew that.”
From "Franny and Zooey" by J. D. Salinger
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