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Showing results for "mould"
  • a variation of mold.
Synonyms

mould

1 British  
/ məʊld /

noun

  1. a shaped cavity used to give a definite form to fluid or plastic material

  2. a frame on which something may be constructed

  3. something shaped in or made on a mould

  4. shape, form, design, or pattern

  5. specific nature, character, or type

    heroic mould

"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

verb

  1. to make in a mould

  2. to shape or form, as by using a mould

  3. to influence or direct

    to mould opinion

  4. to cling to

    the skirt moulds her figure

  5. metallurgy to make (a material such as sand) into a mould that is used in casting

"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
mould 2 British  
/ məʊld /

noun

  1. a coating or discoloration caused by various saprotrophic fungi that develop in a damp atmosphere on the surface of stored food, fabrics, wallpaper, etc

  2. any of the fungi that causes this growth

"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

verb

  1. to become or cause to become covered with this growth

"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
mould 3 British  
/ məʊld /

noun

  1. loose soil, esp when rich in organic matter

  2. poetic the earth

"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

Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of mould1

C13 (n): changed from Old French modle, from Latin modulus a small measure, module

Origin of mould2

C15: dialect (Northern English) mowlde mouldy, from the past participle of moulen to become mouldy, probably of Scandinavian origin; compare Old Norse mugla mould

Origin of mould3

Old English molde; related to Old High German molta soil, Gothic mulde


Explanation

Mould is the British spelling for "mold" — the stuff you find growing on old bread or the container you use to create your jello masterpieces. Living mould is like “mildew,” it’s a type of fungus that grows on damp or decaying matter. Mould can also mean a “caste” used to shape a hardening liquid. In this sense mould can refer to both the container and the end product that comes out of the mould. In addition, mould is used as a verb to describe the process of making a mould. When you pour plaster into a mould to make a shape, you mould that shape.

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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:

A mould takes about a month to make, and the production run lasts about three months.

From BBC ● Oct. 14, 2026

The film tells the tale of a lonely, ostracised fisherwoman living in a medieval village who hires a basketmaker to mould her a new partner made entirely out of wicker.

From BBC ● Oct. 9, 2026

The Housing Ombudsman found Clarion had not handled the damp, mould and snagging issues appropriately even though the builder, Dandara, would still have been responsible during the defect period.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

The couple found black mould in their house 10 days after moving in.

From BBC ● Sep. 4, 2026

At his feet, in between the creeping foliage, were dead leaves, rusty-coloured and dry on top, but packed to a damp mould just below the surface.

From "I'm the King of the Castle" by Susan Hill

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