Definition of mothball
1 : a ball made formerly of camphor but now often of naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene and used to keep moths from clothing
2 mothballs plural : a condition of protective storage put the ships in mothballs after the war; also : a state of having been rejected for further use or dismissed from further consideration
From the M-W Editors
1892
First Known Use of mothball
1892
mothball
Definition of mothball
transitive verb
1 : to deactivate (something, such as a ship) and prevent deterioration chiefly by dehumidification
2 : to withdraw from use or service and keep in reserve : put aside
Examples of mothball in a Sentence
Many navy ships were mothballed after the war.
1926
First Known Use of mothball
1926
MOTHBALL Defined for English Language Learners
Definition of mothball for English Language Learners
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: a small ball that contains a strong-smelling chemical and that is used to keep moths away from stored clothing
mothball
Definition of mothball for English Language Learners
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: to stop using (something) while keeping it to be possibly used in the future
Learn More about mothball
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See words that rhyme with mothball Nglish: Translation of mothball for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of mothball for Arabic speakers
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