mole
1any of various small insectivorous mammals, especially of the family Talpidae, living chiefly underground, and having velvety fur, very small eyes, and strong forefeet: I stopped hating the moles in my rose garden when I realized they were eating the Japanese beetle grubs.
a spy who becomes part of and works from within the ranks of an enemy governmental staff or intelligence agency: There is always a risk that the mole may defect to the enemy.: Compare double agent.
Machinery. a large, powerful machine for boring through earth or rock, used in the construction of tunnels: He worked as a mechanic on the mole that created our subway tunnels.
Origin of mole
1Words Nearby mole
Other definitions for mole (2 of 6)
a small, congenital spot or blemish on the human skin, usually of a dark color, slightly elevated, and sometimes hairy; nevus: The pamphlet explains why it's important to monitor changes in a mole's color or shape.
Origin of mole
2Other definitions for mole (3 of 6)
a massive structure, especially of stone, set up in the water, as for a breakwater, pier, or causeway: a mole may be topped with pierlike wooden planking, but unlike a typical pier, the mole does not allow water to pass under it: Islanders are raising money to restore the mole that once ran to the mainland.
an anchorage or harbor protected by such a structure: For our small fleet of boats, this mole has been most accommodating.
Origin of mole
3Other definitions for mole (4 of 6)
or mol
the basic unit in the International System of Units (SI), representing the amount of a substance expressed in grams containing as many atoms, molecules, or ions as the number of atoms in 12 grams of carbon-12 (which is Avogadro's number, or 6.022 × 1023): To express the concentration of the substance in solution, use moles per liter.
Origin of mole
4Other definitions for mole (5 of 6)
Origin of mole
5Other definitions for mole (6 of 6)
a spicy sauce typically flavored with dark chocolate, chile peppers, and spices, usually served with turkey or chicken: Have you tried making your mole in a slow cooker?
Origin of mole
6Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use mole in a sentence
He had to wait until he was in college, when he landed a research position that required him to trap star-nosed moles in Pennsylvania’s wetlands.
‘Great Adaptations’ unravels mysteries of amazing animal abilities | Erin Garcia de Jesus | October 12, 2020 | Science NewsI had only a vague understanding of all this when I set out for Pennsylvania in a rented cargo van with a sleeping bag and a cooler full of hundreds of earthworms to feed hungry moles.
How to hunt for star-nosed moles (and their holes) | Kenneth Catania | September 15, 2020 | Popular-ScienceThe supposed mole who stole nuclear secrets has never been found.
A brief history of US-China espionage entanglements | Konstantin Kakaes | September 3, 2020 | MIT Technology ReviewAbout a year earlier, veterinarians at Texas A&M extracted DNA from one of Chance’s moles and used the sample to create a genetic double.
Biotechnology Could Change the Cattle Industry. Will It Succeed? | Dyllan Furness | August 16, 2020 | Singularity HubA new mole popping up is just a new mole, because we don’t consider it to be a potential threat of cancer.
Black May Not Crack, But It Definitely Will Burn | Shirley Carswell | May 14, 2019 | TruthBeTold.news
To his detractors, he was a half-mad paranoiac who nearly destroyed the CIA in his obsessive search for a Soviet mole.
The Bizarre Tale of Ben Bradlee, JFK, and the Master Spy | Will Rahn | October 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTLast season was definitely challenging, because we were not allowed to mention them or allude to a mole of any kind.
The Leaner, Meaner Season 2 of ‘Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.’ | Jason Lynch | September 22, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTAlasania said it was important to focus the mole hunt on the army.
She was briefly outed by Red as a mole and then allowed to recede into the background again.
Rocket teamed up with the Incredible Hulk to overthrow Judson Jakes, a devious mole.
11 Things to Know About Bradley Cooper’s Rocket Raccoon in Guardians of the Galaxy | Marina Watts | February 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTHe grew very restless, for it was a long time before Grandfather mole appeared.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole | Arthur Scott BaileyBut she told Grandfather mole that it was all right—that she knew a person of his age ought not to go without his breakfast.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole | Arthur Scott BaileyAnd he had waited so long for Grandfather mole that he had begun to feel hungry again.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole | Arthur Scott BaileyOne thing was certain: Grandfather mole could travel much faster through the water than he could underground.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole | Arthur Scott BaileyThen Jimmy remembered suddenly that he had to meet Grandfather mole over there.
The Tale of Grandfather Mole | Arthur Scott Bailey
British Dictionary definitions for mole (1 of 6)
/ (məʊl) /
any small burrowing mammal, of the family Talpidae, of Europe, Asia, and North and Central America: order Insectivora (insectivores). They have velvety, typically dark fur and forearms specialized for digging
golden mole any small African burrowing molelike mammal of the family Chrysochloridae, having copper-coloured fur: order Insectivora (insectivores)
informal a spy who has infiltrated an organization and, often over a long period, become a trusted member of it
Origin of mole
1British Dictionary definitions for mole (2 of 6)
/ (məʊl) /
a breakwater
a harbour protected by a breakwater
a large tunnel excavator for use in soft rock
Origin of mole
2British Dictionary definitions for mole (3 of 6)
/ (məʊl) /
pathol a nontechnical name for naevus
Origin of mole
3British Dictionary definitions for mole (4 of 6)
/ (məʊl) /
the basic SI unit of amount of substance; the amount that contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 0.012 kilogram of carbon-12. The entity must be specified and may be an atom, a molecule, an ion, a radical, an electron, a photon, etc: Symbol: mol
Origin of mole
4British Dictionary definitions for mole (5 of 6)
/ (məʊl) /
pathol a fleshy growth in the uterus formed by the degeneration of fetal tissues
Origin of mole
5British Dictionary definitions for mole (6 of 6)
/ (ˈməʊleɪ) /
a spicy Mexican sauce made from chili and chocolate
Origin of mole
6Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
Scientific definitions for mole (1 of 2)
[ mōl ]
A small, usually pigmented, benign growth on the skin.
Scientific definitions for mole (2 of 2)
[ mōl ]
The amount of an element, compound, or other substance that has the same number of basic particles as 12 grams of Carbon-12. The number of particles making up a mole is Avogadro's number. For elements and compounds, the mass of one mole, in grams, is roughly equal to the atomic or molecular weight of the substance. For example, carbon dioxide, CO2, has a molecular weight of 44; therefore, one mole of it weighs 44 grams.
The American Heritage® Science Dictionary Copyright © 2011. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
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