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Synonyms

moldy

American  
[mohl-dee] / ˈmoʊl di /

adjective

moldier, moldiest
  1. overgrown or covered with mold.

  2. musty, as from decay or age.

  3. Informal. old-fashioned; outmoded.

    moldy ideas about higher education.


moldy British  
/ ˈməʊldɪ /

adjective

  1. the US spelling of mouldy

"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

  • moldiness noun
  • unmoldy adjective

Etymology

Origin of moldy

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; mold 2, -y 1

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.

The bed was wonderfully comfortable, though the shower in the spacious bathroom had a faint moldy smell.

From Salon

Oswald gave Red and me stale bread and moldy cheese to eat, but Red didn’t eat any, and I worried.

From Literature

I shove them into the bin until my fingers brush against a moldy Pierre.

From Literature

One librarian had once told him that the smell of books actually came from moldy paper.

From Literature

Once I am feeling hungry again, I discover there is little food on the ship, aside from moldy bread and the pork sausages we can’t eat.

From Literature