mola

¹

[ moh-luh ]

noun

, plural (especially collectively) mo·la, (especially referring to two or more kinds or species) mo·las.

1. any of several thin, silvery fishes of the family Molidae, of tropical and temperate seas.

mola

²

[ moh-luh; Spanish maw-lah ]

noun

, plural mo·las [moh, -l, uh, z, maw, -lahs].

1. a colorfully appliquéd piece of fabric handcrafted by the Cuna Indian women of the islands in the Gulf of San Blas and used for clothing, decoration, etc.

mola

/ ˈməʊlə /

noun

1. another name for sunfish

Word History and Origins

Origin of mola¹

1595–1605; < Latin: millstone; so called from its shape

Origin of mola²

1940–45; < Cuna: clothing, blouse, mola

Word History and Origins

Origin of mola¹

C17: from Latin, literally: millstone

Example Sentences

Children, some in uniforms and others in the colorful local textiles called “molas,” chattered as they hustled through the warren of narrow dirt streets on their way to school.

From Seattle Times

There are three species of these sunfish—Mola mola, Mola tecta and Mola alexandrini—which can be difficult to tell apart without genetic analysis.

From Scientific American

Aside from their size, molas are known for their clumsy swimming style.

From New York Times

But perhaps the most wonderful morning was one we spent with a Guna family who arrived with a boatload of molas, the magnificent embroidered handicrafts for which the Guna women are known.

From Washington Post

Also called mola, sunfish are the heaviest bony fish, with the largest weighing almost 5,000 pounds, according to National Geographic.

From Fox News