noun
moly
MOH-lee
noun
1
Informal short form of molybdenum, a hard silvery metal.
"The alloy is strengthened with a bit of moly."
2
In Greek mythology, a magic herb given to Odysseus that protected him from Circe's spells.
"Hermes gave Odysseus the herb moly to resist the witch's potion."
How to Use Moly
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishEither the mythical protective herb from Homer's Odyssey, or informal shorthand for the metal molybdenum.
Word Forms
molies plural
Study it as flashcards or scroll it in Flow — saved to your collection.
Test yourself on “moly”
A quick quiz — meaning, synonyms & usage
→
Fill the Gap
Can you complete this real example?
The alloy is strengthened with a bit of _____.
Etymology
From Latin mōly, borrowed from Ancient Greek môlu, the name of the mythical protective plant in Homer's Odyssey.