mulligrubs

plural noun

mul·​li·​grubs
variants or mullygrubs
ˈməlēˌgrəbz
or less commonly mollygrubs
ˈmäl-
1
: a despondent, sullen, or ill-tempered mood : sulks, blues
2
: a griping of the intestines : colic

Word History

Etymology

alteration (probably influenced by grub) of earlier mulliegrums, perhaps alteration (perhaps influenced by obsolete English mully dusty, moldy, from English mull entry 1 + -y) of megrims, plural of megrim entry 1

Love words?

You must — there are over 200,000 words in our free online dictionary, but you are looking for one that’s only in the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary.

Start your free trial today and get unlimited access to America's largest dictionary, with:

  • More than 250,000 words that aren't in our free dictionary
  • Expanded definitions, etymologies, and usage notes
  • Advanced search features
  • Ad free!

Dictionary Entries Near mulligrubs

Cite this Entry

“Mulligrubs.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mulligrubs. Accessed 23 Nov. 2024.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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