mole

mole · noun¹

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*mey-
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*mel-
3. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*mailą“spot, wrinkle”
4. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*mail
5. Old English · inherited frommāl“a mole, spot, mark, blemish”
6. Middle English · inherited frommole
7. English todaymole

From Middle English mole, mool, from Old English māl (“a mole, spot, mark, blemish”), from Proto-West Germanic *mail, from Proto-Germanic *mailą (“spot, wrinkle”), from Proto-Indo-European *mel-, *melw- (“dark, dirty”), from Proto-Indo-European *mey-, *my- (“to soil, sully”). Cognate with Scots mail (“spot, stain”), Saterland Frisian Moal (“scar”), German dialectal Meil (“spot, stain, blemish”), Gothic 𐌼𐌰𐌹𐌻 (mail, “spot, blemish”).

mole · noun, verb²

1. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*(s)melw-“to grind, crush, beat”
2. Proto-Indo-European · derived from*molg-
3. Proto-Germanic · inherited from*mulaz
4. Proto-West Germanic · inherited from*mol(h)
5. Middle English · inherited frommolle
6. English todaymole

From Middle English molle, molde, mole (“mole”), ultimately from Proto-West Germanic *mol(h), from Proto-Germanic *mulaz, *mulhaz (“mole, salamander”), from Proto-Indo-European *molg-, *molk- (“slug, salamander”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)melw- (“to grind, crush, beat”). Cognate with North Frisian mull (“mole”), Saterland Frisian Molle (“mole”), Dutch mol (“mole”), German Low German Mol, Mul, Mull (“mole”), German Molch (“salamander, newt”), Old Russian смолжь (smolžʹ, “snail”), Czech mlž (“clam”). Derivation as an abbreviation of Middle English molewarpe, a variation of moldewarpe, moldwerp (“mole”) in Middle English is unexplained and probably unlikely due to the simultaneous occurrence of both words. See mouldwarp.

mole · noun³

From moll (from Moll, an archaic nickname for Mary), influenced by the spelling of the word mole (“an internal spy”), and due to /mɒl/ and /məʊl/ merging as [ˈmɔʊɫ] in the Australian accent.

mole · noun⁴

1. Latin · derived frommōles“mass, heap, rock”
2. French · derived frommôle
3. English todaymole

From French môle or Latin mōles (“mass, heap, rock”).

mole · noun⁵

1. Latin · derived frommoles
2. German · derived fromMol
3. English todaymole

Calqued from German Mol; spelled as if it had come directly from molecule or Latin moles (the ultimate source of Mol and molecule in any event).

mole · noun⁶

1. Latin · derived frommola“millstone”
2. French · derived frommôle f
3. English todaymole

In English since before the 20th century. From French môle f, from Latin mola (“millstone”), because it is a hardened mass.

mole · noun⁷

1. Classical Nahuatl · derived frommōlli“sauce; stew; something ground”
2. Spanish · borrowed frommole
3. English todaymole

From Spanish mole, from Classical Nahuatl mōlli (“sauce; stew; something ground”).

Mole · proper noun⁸

1. Latin · derived frommola“mill”
2. English todayMole

From Latin mola (“mill”), or otherwise a back-formation from Molesey (“Mul's Island”).

Words from the same roots