Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian molde , Middle Dutch moude , mouwe , Middle Dutch (eastern) molde (Dutch (archaic) moude ), German regional (Low German: East Friesland) mold , molt , Old High German molta , molt (Middle High German molt , molte , molde , German regional (Bavaria and Tyrol) molt , molten ), Old Icelandic mold , Norn (Shetland) mild , Old Swedish muld (Swedish mull ), Danish muld , Gothic mulda , ultimately < an extended form of an ablaut variant of the Indo-European base of meal n.¹

Etymology: Cognate with Old Frisian meldke head (a diminutive from the same base), perhaps ultimately from the same Indo-European base as Sanskrit mūrdhan forehead, head, highest point, and perhaps also ancient Greek βλωθρός tall, or perhaps the first element of Early Irish, Irish mullach top of the head.

Etymology: Apparently in form < Anglo-Norman molde model, plan, shape, pattern, way (late 12th cent.; metathetic variant of Old French modle model (late 11th cent.) < classical Latin modulus : see module n.), although in sense chiefly after the corresponding Old French, Middle French molle, Middle French, French moule (see below; the earliest uses in sense 1 probably arise directly from the primary abstract senses of the word in Anglo-Norman and Old French, although the majority of later uses in branch I. show the sense ‘result of moulding’, hence deriving ultimately from the sense ‘mould’ of the French and English words). Compare Old Occitan molle (14th cent.; Occitan mòtle ), Catalan motle (1284), Spanish molde (1277; probably, in spite of the chronology of the forms, via Catalan motle or Old Occitan molle ), Portuguese molde (1491; < Spanish). Compare moul n.², and also module n. and model n.Chief senses of Old French, Middle French molle , Middle French, French moule include: way, manner (late 12th cent.), hollow form into which one pours a liquid or doughy substance which solidifies, retaining the shape of the container (late 12th cent.; compare sense 9a; 1678 in French in phrase jetées dans le même moule cast in the same mould; compare sense 11a), small object which is covered with fabric to form a button (mid 17th cent.; compare sense 12b), hollow vessel used in cooking, pastry-making (early 18th cent.; compare sense 9c). Compare post-classical Latin molda , moldus template used in building (from 13th cent. in British sources; compare sense 10a), hollow form for casting metal (from 14th cent. in British sources; compare sense 9a). In phrases such as of base mould , of the purest mould (compare quots. 1589 at sense 1, a1593 at sense 1), perhaps after mould n.¹ (compare sense 2a s.v.).

Etymology: Immediate origin uncertain. Perhaps < mouled adj. (arising in contexts where use as noun or as adjective was opaque), or perhaps a variant of moul n.¹ (perhaps due to association with mould n.¹, or with excrescent d ). Compare mould v.², moulden adj.

Etymology: Variant of mole n.¹, perhaps by confusion with mould n.⁴ Compare iron mould n.

Etymology: Short for mouldboard n.¹

Etymology: < mould n.³ Compare Middle French, French mouler to mould (c1100 in Old French in past participle in form mollet ). In sense 7 after French mouler (of clothes) to hug the figure, outline the shape (1766), spec. use of mouler to mould.