Mould
/moʊld/noun
A hollow form used to shape material, or a soft, often fuzzy growth of fungi.
Did you know?The shaping sense of mould is linked to the same ancient root behind a word for a measuring cup or model, while the fungus sense developed later from the idea of decaying, earthy material.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*mē-
“to measure, apportion”
Latin
Latin
modus
“measure, manner, standard”
Old French
Old French
modle / modle
“model, pattern, template”
Middle English
English
moulde
“a form or matrix for shaping; also earth, soil”
Modern English
English
mould
“a hollow form for shaping material; also a fungus growth”