mole

1 of 6

noun (1)

ˈmōl

Synonyms of mole next

: a pigmented spot, mark, or small permanent protuberance on the human body

especially : nevus

mole

2 of 6

noun (2)

: any of numerous burrowing insectivores (especially family Talpidae) with tiny eyes, concealed ears, and soft fur

: one who works in the dark

: a machine for tunneling

: a spy (such as a double agent) who establishes a cover long before beginning espionage

broadly : one within an organization who passes on information

mole

3 of 6

noun (3)

: an abnormal mass in the uterus especially when containing fetal tissues

mole

4 of 6

noun (4)

: a massive work formed of masonry and large stones or earth laid in the sea as a pier or breakwater

: the harbor formed by a mole

mole

5 of 6

noun (5)

ˈmōl

variants or less commonly mol

plural moles

: the base unit of amount of pure substance in the International System of Units that is defined as having exactly 6.02214076 x 10²³ indivisible units (such as atoms or molecules) of that substance

First you would need to measure out one mole of salt. Remember that one mole of a compound equals its relative molecular mass in grams, so to obtain one mole of sodium chloride you would weigh out 58.5 g …—

John Atkinson and Carol Hibbert

one mole of helium contains 4 grams

mole

6 of 6

noun (6)

mo·le ˈmō-lā

: a spicy sauce made with chiles and usually chocolate and served with meat

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

The timeline makes sense: During this period, Walsingham was obtaining copies of Mary’s letters from a mole in the French Embassy. —

Meilan Solly, Smithsonian Magazine, 10 Feb. 2023 In the 1920-set action epic, Charan plays Alluri Sitarama Raju, a revolutionary leader who uses his position as a mole within the Indian Imperial Police to ultimately arm his former village against the British Raj. —

Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 8 Feb. 2023 His résumé included work on the WikiLeaks investigation into Chelsea Manning, as well as a search for a Chinese mole inside the CIA. —

Craig Unger, The New Republic, 1 Feb. 2023 The brains came from species with maximum ages ranging from a tad more than three years (the Chinese mole shrew) to more than 122 years (humans). —

Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 31 Jan. 2023 The menu is full of interesting options from caviar with tater tots to a rack of pork ribs in mole poblano. —

Brianna Griff, Chron, 30 Jan. 2023 The couple will unroll the menu in stages, starting with a limited dinner menu of oysters on the half shell, a mole flight, huitlacoche pasta, a trio of tacos, a chef's burger and cheesecake de elote for dessert. —

Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 26 Jan. 2023 The idea is that in the midst of a war between the police and organized crime, each side succeeds in placing a clever mole in the heart of the other camp. —

Los Angeles Times, 25 Jan. 2023 Grab a latte jolted with cajeta (ultra-rich caramel) or mole bitters and citrus, and check out the pieces on display. —

Chris Malloy, Bon Appétit, 18 Jan. 2023 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mole.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Old English māl; akin to Old High German meil spot

Noun (2)

Middle English; akin to Middle Low German mol

Noun (3)

Middle English, from Latin mola mole, literally, mill, millstone — more at mill

Noun (4)

Middle French, from Old Italian molo, from Late Greek mōlos, from Latin moles, literally, mass, exertion; akin to Greek mōlos exertion

Noun (5)

German Mol, short for Molekulargewicht molecular weight, from molekular molecular + Gewicht weight

Noun (6)

Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl mōlli sauce

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (3)

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (4)

circa 1548, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (5)

1902, in the meaning defined above

Noun (6)

1882, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of mole was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Mole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mole. Accessed 23 Mar. 2023.

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Kids Definition

mole

1 of 3 noun

ˈmōl

: a small usually brown and sometimes slightly raised permanent spot on the skin

mole

2 of 3 noun

: any of numerous burrowing mammals with tiny eyes, concealed ears, and soft fur that eat insects

mole

3 of 3 noun

: a pier made of heavy solid material (as concrete or stone) that protects a harbor from rough seas

Medical Definition

mole

1 of 3 noun

ˈmōl

: a pigmented spot, mark, or small permanent protuberance on the human body

especially : nevus

mole

2 of 3 noun

: an abnormal mass in the uterus:

: a blood clot containing a degenerated fetus and its membranes

: hydatidiform mole

mole

3 of 3 noun

variants also mol

ˈmōl

: the base unit in the International System of Units for the amount of pure substance that contains the same number of elementary entities as there are atoms in exactly 12 grams of the isotope carbon 12

a mole of photons

a mole of sodium chloride