adjective

moley

Moley (adjective) means Covered in, relating to, or like the small burrowing animal called a mole. Example: “The old lawn was moley, pocked with little raised tunnels everywhere.”

adjective

Covered in, relating to, or like the small burrowing animal called a mole.

"The old lawn was moley, pocked with little raised tunnels everywhere."

"A moley patch of ground like that usually means you have visitors underground."

Having a lot of moles (small dark skin marks) on the skin.

"He joked that his moley back looked like a star chart."

"Doctors keep a closer eye on very moley skin in case any spot changes."

How to use moley

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishFull of moles — either the little skin spots or the tunnelling animal's molehills.

Common mistake

It's an informal, almost jokey word, not a term you'll see in a medical report — doctors say "multiple naevi" instead.

Common pairings

a moley lawn moley skin moley back

Word forms

more moley comparative, moleys plural, most moley superlative

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Fill the gap

Can you complete this real example?

The old lawn was _____, pocked with little raised tunnels everywhere.

Etymology

Simply mole (the burrowing animal, or the skin mark) with the adjective ending -y added, the same pattern as in "holey" or "stony".

Rhymes for moley

key hey bey dey ley grey they joey whey obey prey abbey

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Frequently asked questions

What does “moley” mean?

The word “moley” means covered in, relating to, or like the small burrowing animal called a mole. In plain terms, full of moles — either the little skin spots or the tunnelling animal's molehills.

How do you use “moley” in a sentence?

Here is “moley” used in a sentence: “The old lawn was moley, pocked with little raised tunnels everywhere.”

What part of speech is “moley”?

“Moley” is an adjective.

How many meanings does “moley” have?

“Moley” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: covered in, relating to, or like the small burrowing animal called a mole.