mildew

[ mil-doo, -dyoo ]

See synonyms for: mildew mildewed mildewing mildewy on Thesaurus.com

noun

Plant Pathology. a disease of plants, characterized by a cottony, usually whitish coating on the surface of affected parts, caused by any of various fungi.
any of these fungi.: Compare downy mildew, powdery mildew.

any of similar coatings or discolorations, caused by fungi, as that which appears on fabrics, paper, leather, etc., when exposed to moisture.

verb (used with or without object)

to affect or become affected with mildew.

Origin of mildew

before 1000; Middle English: honeydew, mildew; Old English mildēaw, equivalent to mil- honey (cognate with Gothic milith, akin to Latin mel,Greek méli) + dēawdew

Other words from mildew

mildewy, adjective
un·mil·dewed, adjective

Words Nearby mildew

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use mildew in a sentence

Moist heating pads can also welcome mold and mildew if they aren’t maintained properly.
Best heating pad for chronic pain and tense muscles | Irena Collaku | August 22, 2021 | Popular-Science
A musty smell often wafted through the hallways, and mildew rings stained ceiling tiles.
Held Back: Inside a Lost School Year | by Annie Waldman, ProPublica, photography by Cydni Elledge | June 28, 2021 | ProPublica
These are the best pressure washers for cars and accomplishing other modest goals like removing dirt, loose paint, and mildew from outdoor surfaces.
The best pressure washer for cleaning away mud, oil, paint and more | Jeremy Helligar | March 18, 2021 | Popular-Science
They regularly do away with soap scum and dirt, but mildew stains may require more precise cleaning tools.
Best spin scrubber: For floors so clean, they squeak | PopSci Commerce Team | March 16, 2021 | Popular-Science
Dampness is a breeding ground for bacteria, mold and mildew.
Hints From Heloise: Teddy bear needs a bath | Heloise Heloise | March 12, 2021 | Washington Post

“Better to wash dirty linen in public than have it grow mildew in a dark cupboard,” a party insider told The Daily Beast.
A Sleaze Civil War Engulfs Britain’s Liberal Democrats | Nico Hines | January 24, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST
"Then the rainiest June since the 1950s helped the spread of downy and powdery mildew" he told The Telegraph.
Bad News for the Bubbly: Champagne Suffers Worst Season in Decades | The Telegraph | August 17, 2012 | THE DAILY BEAST
But the withering mildew was now breathed forth, that was intended to blast this goodly harvest.
The Pastor's Fire-side Vol. 3 of 4 | Jane Porter
But this soon died away and they sat about, swapping lies that were white with the mildew of time.
An Arkansas Planter | Opie Percival Read
Several tunics, rotten with mildew, hung across one of the three chairs about the table.
Warrior of the Dawn | Howard Carleton Browne
The Armarius bound the books in wooden covers to preserve the parchment from mildew and damp.
Robert Annys: Poor Priest | Annie Nathan Meyer
Thou fell blight, thou eastern blast, thou overspreading mildew, that destroyest the early promises of the shining year!
Clarissa, Volume 6 (of 9) | Samuel Richardson

British Dictionary definitions for mildew

mildew

/ (ˈmɪlˌdjuː) /

noun

any of various diseases of plants that affect mainly the leaves and are caused by parasitic fungi: See also downy mildew, powdery mildew
any fungus causing this kind of disease

another name for mould 2

verb

to affect or become affected with mildew

Origin of mildew

Old English mildēaw, from mil- honey (compare Latin mel, Greek mēli) + dēaw dew

Derived forms of mildew

mildewy, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Scientific definitions for mildew

mildew

[ mĭl′dōō′ ]

Any of various fungi or oomycete organisms that form a white or grayish coating on surfaces, such as plant leaves, cloth, or leather, especially under damp, warm conditions. Powdery mildews are important plant diseases usually caused by ascomycete fungi, while downy mildews, including a serious disease of grapevines, are caused by oomycetes.

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