Meanings
comparative more moth-eaten · superlative most moth-eaten
- Containing holes by having been eaten by moth larvae.
- figurativelyOld and in poor condition; worn-out.
"A bit moth-eaten, aren't they?" he said doubtfully. "I mean to say, bumpy in the springs and all that." "Oh, of course, I'd have them resprung and fresh covers made if you bought them."
1950, Norman Lindsay, Dust or Polish?, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 72 - figurativelyAntiquated; having been in use a long time.
‘It’s got a file and rope ladder in it and if you was a bit older I’d make you eat them both raw for trying to put such a moth-eaten old wheeze over on me.’
1936, Norman Lindsay, The Flyaway Highway, Sydney: Angus and Robertson, page 90
Synonyms & antonyms
adjectivelacking originality or spontaneity; no longer new
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Translations
Ancient Greek σητόβρωτος
- σητόβρωτος (sētóbrōtos)containing moth holes
Finnish koinsyömä, koinsyömä
- koinsyömäcontaining moth holes
- koinsyömäold and in poor condition
French mangé aux mites, mangé aux mites
- mangé aux mitescontaining moth holes
- mangé aux mitesold and in poor condition
German mottenzerfressen
- mottenzerfressencontaining moth holes
Greek σκωροφαγωμένος, σκωροφαγωμένος
- σκωροφαγωμένος (skorofagoménos)containing moth holes
- σκωροφαγωμένος (skorofagoménos)old and in poor condition
Norwegian Bokmål møllspist, møllspist
- møllspistcontaining moth holes
- møllspistold and in poor condition
Russian изъе́денный мо́лью
- изъе́денный мо́лью (izʺjédennyj mólʹju)containing moth holes
Spanish apolillado, apolillado
- apolilladocontaining moth holes
- apolilladoold and in poor condition
Swedish maläten, maläten
- malätencontaining moth holes
- malätenold and in poor condition
Welsh yn dyllau pryfed
- yn dyllau pryfedcontaining moth holes
Cite this entry
moth-eaten. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/moth-eaten
“moth-eaten.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/moth-eaten. Accessed November 4, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “moth-eaten,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/moth-eaten.
Source: moth-eaten on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.