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mollycoddle

[ mol-ee-kod-l ]
/ ˈmɒl iˌkɒd l /
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See synonyms for: mollycoddle / mollycoddling on Thesaurus.com
noun
a man or boy who is used to being coddled; a milksop.
verb (used with object), mol·ly·cod·dled, mol·ly·cod·dling.
to coddle; pamper.
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Origin of mollycoddle

First recorded in 1825–35; Molly (a female name used in the sense “effeminate man”) + coddle

OTHER WORDS FROM mollycoddle

mol·ly·cod·dler, noun

Words nearby mollycoddle

molluscum, mollusk, mollusks, Mollweide projection, molly, mollycoddle, mollyhawk, Molly Maguire, mollymawk, Molly Miller, Molnár
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Words related to mollycoddle

baby, caress, coddle, cosset, dandle, fondle, indulge, overindulge, overprotect, pet, spoil, cater to, wait on

How to use mollycoddle in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mollycoddle

mollycoddle
/ (ˈmɒlɪˌkɒdəl) /
verb
(tr) to treat with indulgent care; pamper
noun
a pampered person

Derived forms of mollycoddle

mollycoddler, noun

Word Origin for mollycoddle

C19: from molly ² + coddle
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
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