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Added 9 October 2026

mildew

/ˈmɪl.djuː/ noun

In Latin: aurūgō, rōbīgō Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about mildew at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

The process of becoming mildewed.
A fungus that produces a superficial (usually white) growth on organic matter.

verb

Become moldy; spoil due to humidity.
The furniture molded in the old house

Origin

From Middle English myldew, from Old English mildēaw, meledēaw, from Proto-West Germanic *milidauw, from *mili (“honey”) + *dauw (“dew”). Compare West Frisian moaldau, Dutch meeldauw, German Mehltau. More at dew.

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)

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