Meaning and usage of the word mildew in English

Meaning of vocabulary mildew

mildewnoun

Mildew

/ˈmɪldjuː//ˈmɪlduː/

Origin of the word mildew

The word "mildew" originates from the Old English words "mycel" meaning "creeping" and "du" meaning "fungus." Together they formed "myceldu," which meant "creeping fungus" in Old English. Over time, the word evolved, with the "mycel-" prefix becoming "mycell-" in Middle English and the "du" becoming "del" in Old Norse. Eventually, the word made its way to Middle Dutch, where it was spelled "meldeu," with "melde" meaning "mold" and "-u" as a diminutive ending. This form of the word was then brought to England by the Normans after the Conquest in 1066. In Old French, it became "mold" or "molde," but when Anglo-French speakers adopted it in the medieval period, it was spelled "mildewe" because they pronounced "d" as "dg" at the time, resulting in the final "e" being dropped. By the 14th century, the word had been shortened to "mildew" in English, which is the form still used today to describe a type of mold that grows on organic materials, such as grains, plants, and paint, causing them to spoil or rot. End of the origin of the word "mildew" in under 150 words.

Vocabulary summary mildew

typenoun

meaningmildew

meaningmold (on leather...)

typeverb

meaninginfected with minddiu; infected with minddiu

meaningmoldy

Example of vocabulary mildewnamespace

  • The walls of the old building were covered in a thick layer of mildew, making the air inside musty and damp.
  • After a week of rain, mildew began to grow on the cushions of my patio furniture, ruining their once-beautiful appearance.
  • The carpet in my basement seemed to attract mildew, no matter how often I cleaned it, and the smell persisted long after I removed it.
  • The mildewed shower curtain reminded me that I needed to clean the bathroom more thoroughly.
  • The old book in my grandmother's attic had discolored pages covered in mildew, but the story inside still captivated me.

Words, synonyms, related vocabulary mildew

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