moulder

C2 Topic:Cause, Change & Process

Also spelled molder

US /ˈmoʊl.dɚ/ UK /ˈməʊl.də/ See IPA manual

Freq #165869

Meanings

1

verb
to decay or crumble slowly, often until little remains; usually followed by away

The sun-dried bricks began to moulder after several winters of heavy rain.
2

verb
figurative: to remain unused or neglected while gradually deteriorating or being forgotten

The manuscript mouldered in an archive for more than a century.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 verb · to decay or crumble slowly,... molderdecay rot crumble

2 verb · figurative: to remain... languishwaste awayfall into decay

Opposites

endureremain intactflourish

Word family

Forms moulderedmouldering

Derived forms mouldering

Related forms mouldmolderdecay decomposition

Etymology

Probably formed from mould in its older sense 'loose earth or soil' + the frequentative verb suffix -er, with influence from mould meaning fungal growth; compare Norwegian dialect muldra, 'crumble.' The American spelling is molder. The verb is distinct from moulder meaning a person or machine that shapes material.

Topics

Cause, Change & Process

External links

# moulder

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2
**Part of speech:** verb
**IPA (US):** /ˈmoʊl.dɚ/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈməʊl.də/
**Frequency rank:** 165869

## Meanings
1. to decay or crumble slowly, often until little remains; usually followed by away
2. figurative: to remain unused or neglected while gradually deteriorating or being forgotten

## Examples
- The sun-dried bricks began to moulder after several winters of heavy rain.
- The manuscript mouldered in an archive for more than a century.

## Synonyms
- molder
- decay
- rot
- crumble
- languish

## Antonyms
- endure
- remain intact
- flourish

## Derived Forms
- mouldering

## Related Forms
- mould
- molder
- decay
- decomposition

## Etymology
Probably formed from mould in its older sense 'loose earth or soil' + the frequentative verb suffix -er, with influence from mould meaning fungal growth; compare Norwegian dialect muldra, 'crumble.' The American spelling is molder. The verb is distinct from moulder meaning a person or machine that shapes material.

## Topics
- Cause, Change & Process

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