moldy

adjective

ˈmōl-dē 

moldier; moldiest

1

: of, resembling, or covered with mold

2

a

: being old and moldering : crumbling

b

: antiquated, fusty

moldy tradition

moldiness noun

Examples of moldy in a Sentence

Her books became moldy after being left in a damp basement.

The wine had a slightly moldy aroma.

Recent Examples on the Web

But Wynter said Etienne dropped off food that looked to have come from a food bank, some of which was expired and moldy. —Chris Quintana, USA TODAY, 13 Dec. 2024

This fact is particularly true if the item in question is shriveled, moldy, or smelly. —Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 8 Dec. 2024

These sorts of movies never dates well, but this one is particularly moldy. —Tim Grierson, Vulture, 24 Nov. 2024

Yes, composting worms can eat old bread that’s gone stale, but moldy bread should not be added to worm bins. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

moldy

adjective

ˈmōl-dē 

moldier; moldiest

: resembling, containing, or covered with mold

moldiness noun

Medical Definition

moldy

adjective

variants or chiefly British mouldy

ˈmōl-dē 

moldier or chiefly British mouldier; mouldiest

: covered with a mold-producing fungus

moldy bread