mole
mole Lexical Profile
mole Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A small burrowing insectivorous mammal with dark velvety fur, a long muzzle, and very small eyes, known for creating extensive underground tunnel systems.
"The gardener was frustrated to find that a mole had dug tunnels all across the freshly planted lawn overnight."
A small, usually dark, and sometimes slightly raised blemish on the skin caused by a high concentration of melanin-producing cells.
"The dermatologist advised her to keep an eye on the mole on her shoulder and report any changes in its size, shape, or color."
A spy who gradually achieves an important position within the security defenses or intelligence agencies of a rival organization to secretly leak classified information.
"The intelligence agency launched a strict internal investigation after suspecting a mole was leaking sensitive documents to a foreign government."
Word Nuance & Usage
The word 'mole' functions as several distinct homographs in English, representing an animal, a skin blemish, an undercover spy, a breakwater, a Mexican sauce, and a standard unit of measurement in chemistry, each originating from entirely different linguistic roots.
• Rhymes for mole
• Nearby Words
Word Origin & Etymology
The word has multiple distinct origins: the animal comes from Middle English 'molle'; the skin blemish from Old English 'māl'; the breakwater from Latin 'moles' (mass); and the chemistry unit from German 'Mol' (short for Molekül).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.