noun

moly

MOH-lee

Moly (noun) means informal short form of molybdenum, a hard silvery metal. Example: “The alloy is strengthened with a bit of moly.”

noun

Informal short form of molybdenum, a hard silvery metal.

"The alloy is strengthened with a bit of moly."

In Greek mythology, a magic herb given to Odysseus that protected him from Circe's spells.

"Hermes gave Odysseus the herb moly to resist the witch's potion."

How to use moly

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishEither the mythical protective herb from Homer's Odyssey, or informal shorthand for the metal molybdenum.

Word forms

molies plural

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The alloy is strengthened with a bit of _____.

Etymology

From Latin mōly, borrowed from Ancient Greek môlu, the name of the mythical protective plant in Homer's Odyssey.

Origin: Ancient Greek

Rhymes for moly

holy poly Roly unholy monopoly melancholy

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Frequently asked questions

What does “moly” mean?

The word “moly” means informal short form of molybdenum, a hard silvery metal. In plain terms, either the mythical protective herb from Homer's Odyssey, or informal shorthand for the metal molybdenum.

How do you pronounce “moly”?

“Moly” is pronounced MOH-lee (/ˈməʊli/ in IPA).

How do you use “moly” in a sentence?

Here is “moly” used in a sentence: “The alloy is strengthened with a bit of moly.”

What part of speech is “moly”?

“Moly” is a noun.

Where does the word “moly” come from?

The word “moly” comes from Ancient Greek. From Latin mōly, borrowed from Ancient Greek môlu, the name of the mythical protective plant in Homer's Odyssey.

How many meanings does “moly” have?

“Moly” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: informal short form of molybdenum, a hard silvery metal.