sooty mold

noun

: a dark growth of fungus mycelium growing in insect honeydew on plants
also : any of various ascomycetous fungi (order Dothideales) producing such growth

Examples of sooty mold in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Aphids excrete honeydew, a sticky substance that attracts ants, and that can lead to a buildup of sooty mold, a type of fungus that interferes with a plant’s ability to photosynthesize. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 25 June 2025 Citrus leaf miners don’t have secretions on which sooty mold forms. Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 June 2025 The sticky residue can cover a plant (and your garden furniture and car), allowing a black, sooty mold to grow. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 12 June 2025 Aphids excrete the sap as honeydew, leaving leaves sticky and susceptible to sooty mold. Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 3 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for sooty mold

Word History

First Known Use

1901, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of sooty mold was in 1901

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sooty mold.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/sooty%20mold. Accessed 4 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on sooty mold

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!