definitions

mold

1
[ mohld ]
/ moʊld /
|
SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR mold ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

verb (used with object)

RELATED WORDS

blight, mold, fashion, divide, hack, chisel, shape, slice, engrave, etch, sculpt, must, mustiness, trim, cleave, hew, indent, form, pattern, chip

Nearby words

molar volume, molarity, molars, molasse, molasses, mold, mold loft, mold wash, moldau, moldavia, moldavian
Also especially British, mould.

Origin of mold

1
1175–1225; (noun) Middle English molde < Old French modle < Latin modulus module; (v.) Middle English, derivative of the noun

Related forms

mold·a·ble, mould·a·ble, adjectivemold·a·bil·i·ty, mould·a·bil·i·ty, noun

Definition for mould (2 of 3)

mold

2
[ mohld ]
/ moʊld /

noun

a growth of minute fungi forming on vegetable or animal matter, commonly as a downy or furry coating, and associated with decay or dampness.
any of the fungi that produce such a growth.

verb (used with or without object)

to become or cause to become overgrown or covered with mold.
Also especially British, mould.

Origin of mold

2
1150–1200; late Middle English mowlde, apparently noun use of variant of earlier mowled, past participle of moulen, mawlen to grow moldy, cognate with dialectal Danish mugle

Definition for mould (3 of 3)

mold

3
[ mohld ]
/ moʊld /

noun

loose, friable earth, especially when rich in organic matter and favorable to the growth of plants.
British Dialect. ground; earth.
Also especially British, mould.

Origin of mold

3
before 900; Middle English, Old English molde earth, dust, ground; cognate with Gothic mulda dust; akin to meal2, mill1
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for mould

British Dictionary definitions for mould (1 of 4)

mould

1

US mold

/ (məʊld) /

noun

verb (tr)

Derived Forms

mouldable or US moldable, adjectivemouldability or US moldability, noun

Word Origin for mould

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

British Dictionary definitions for mould (2 of 4)

mould

2

US mold

/ (məʊld) /

noun

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

verb

to become or cause to become covered with this growth
Also called: mildew

Word Origin for mould

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

British Dictionary definitions for mould (3 of 4)

mould

3

US mold

/ (məʊld) /

noun

loose soil, esp when rich in organic matter
poetic the earth

Word Origin for mould

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

British Dictionary definitions for mould (4 of 4)

mold

/ (məʊld) /

noun, verb

the US spelling of mould 1
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

Science definitions for mould

mold

[ mōld ]

Any of various fungi that often form a fuzzy growth (called a mycelium) on the surface of organic matter. Some molds cause food to spoil, but others are beneficial, such as those used to make certain cheeses and those from which antibiotics like penicillin are developed. The molds do not form a distinct phylogenetic grouping but belong to various phyla including the ascomycetes and the zygomycetes. See also slime mold.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Idioms and Phrases with mould

mold

see cast in the same mold.

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