mouldy

Everyday

1. Covered with mould, a soft, furry fungus that grows on old food or in damp places. tree →
2. (informal, UK) Old, mean or nasty: «a mouldy old jumper». tree →

In the lessons

In science: mould is a fungus; it grows best in warm, damp places and is a decomposer that breaks down old food. In safety and health: don't eat mouldy food, don't sniff it (spores can make you ill), and throw it away; damp rooms can get mouldy walls. Phrases: «mouldy bread», «go mouldy».

Examples

• The bread went mouldy after a week. tree →
• Don't eat that – it's mouldy! tree →
• We grew mouldy bread in a bag for our science experiment. tree →
• The bathroom wall is mouldy because it's damp. tree →
• Mouldy fruit is fuzzy and green or white. tree →
• Throw away the mouldiest strawberries. tree →
• Then it took them to another lake, into which they cast a mouldy log. tree →

Note

Spelling: «mouldy» in UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada; «moldy» in the USA. Comparative: mouldier, mouldiest. Noun: mould / mold.