mold and mould are homophones: they are pronounced identically and spelled differently, which is why they are so often swapped. mold means “the distinctive form in which a thing is made”. mould means “loose soil rich in organic matter”. mold is the more common of the two in everyday English.
/ˈmoʊld/
1.n.the distinctive form in which a thing is made
“pottery of this cast was found throughout the region”
2.n.container into which liquid is poured to create a given shape when it hardens
3.n.loose soil rich in organic matter
/ˈmoʊld/
| mold | mould | |
|---|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈmoʊld/ | /ˈmoʊld/ |
| Said | mohld | mohld |
| Syllables | 1 | 1 |
| Letters | 4 | 5 |
| Parts of speech | noun, verb | noun, verb |
| Senses | 14 | 11 |
| How common | Common | Familiar |
| Synonyms | cast, mould, stamp | mold |
Full entry for mold · Full entry for mould · More comparisons
1.n.loose soil rich in organic matter
2.n.the distinctive form in which a thing is made
“pottery of this cast was found throughout the region”
3.n.the process of becoming mildewed