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moly

1 American  
[moh-lee] / ˈmoʊ li /

noun

Classical Mythology.

plural

molies

  1. an herb given to Odysseus by Hermes to counteract the spells of Circe.

moly 2 American  
[mol-ee] / ˈmɒl i /

noun

Informal.

  1. molybdenum.

moly British  
/ ˈməʊlɪ /

noun

  1. Greek myth a magic herb given by Hermes to Odysseus to nullify the spells of Circe

  2. a liliaceous plant, Allium moly, that is native to S Europe and has yellow flowers in a dense cluster

"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

Etymology

Origin of moly1

< Latin mōly < Greek môly

Origin of moly2

By shortening

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.

“When I look at the people seeded ahead of me, I’m like ‘holy moly.’

From Seattle Times • Nov. 3, 2023

The best part is the way he excitedly points at everyone he's taking a photo with, a gesture that translates as: "Holy moly, look who I'm standing next to!"

From BBC • Mar. 6, 2023

Holy moly — that’s a gift for us all.

From New York Times • Nov. 15, 2022

I invite you to make this mousse and find your own holy moly moment tonight.

From Salon • Jun. 2, 2022

Throw in a little terror, a little nausea, and a little Holy moly, how am I going to survive this, and you’re halfway there.

From "Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky" by Kwame Mbalia

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.