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Mole vs Desman - What's the difference?

mole | desman |

As nouns the difference between mole and desman

is that mole is a pigmented spot on the skin, a naevus, slightly raised, and sometimes hairy while desman is either of two species, species: Desmana moschata or species: Galemys pyrenaicus, of aquatic or semi-aquatic insectivore of the mole family, Talpidae, found in Europe.

As a proper noun Mole

is a river in Surrey, England.

mole

English

(wikipedia mole)

Etymology 1

From (etyl) mole, mool, from (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)
  • A pigmented spot on the skin, a naevus, slightly raised, and sometimes hairy.
    • Synonyms
    * birthmark * nevus, naevus,
    Related terms
    * beauty mark

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) mol, molde, molle, from (etyl) . Derivation as an abbreviation of (etyl) molewarpe, a variation of moldewarpe, in Middle English is unexplained and probably unlikely due to the simultaneous occurrence of both words. See mouldwarp.

    Alternative forms

    * mool, moule, mowle, mold (obsolete)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Any of several small, burrowing insectivores of the family Talpidae.
  • Any of the burrowing rodents also called mole rats.
  • (espionage) An internal spy, a person who involves himself or herself with an enemy organisation, especially an intelligence or governmental organisation, to determine and betray its secrets from within.
  • A kind of self-propelled excavator used to form underground drains, or to clear underground pipelines
    • Derived terms
    * golden mole * mole crab * mole cricket * mole rat * mole run * mole salamander
    Synonyms
    * mouldwarp

    Etymology 3

    From moll'' (from ''Moll'', an archaic nickname for ''Mary''), influenced by the spelling of the word ''mole ("an internal spy"), and due to /m?l/ and /m??l/ merging as [mo?l] in the Australian accent.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A moll, a bitch, a slut.
    • Synonyms
    * moll

    Etymology 4

    (etyl) or (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (nautical) A massive structure, usually of stone, used as a pier, breakwater or junction between places separated by water. mole (accessed: March 30, 2007)
  • * 1847 — George A. Fisk, A pastor's memorial of the holy land
    • [Alexander the Great] then conceived the stupendous idea of constructing a mole , which should at once connect [Tyre] with the main land; and this was actually accomplished by driving piles and pouring in incalculable quantities of soil and fragments of rock; and it is generally believed, partly on the authority of ancient authors, that the whole ruins of Old Tyre were absorbed in this vast enterprize, and buried in the depths of the sea [...]
  • * 1983 — Archibald Lyall, Arthur Norman Brangham, The companion guide to the south of France
    • [about Saint-Tropez] Yachts and fishing boats fill the little square of water, which is surrounded on two sides by quays, on the third by a small ship-repairing yard and on the fourth by the mole where the fishing boats moor and the nets are spread out to dry.
  • (rare) A haven or harbour, protected with such a breakwater.

    • Etymology 5

    (1897) (etyl) Mol.

    Alternative forms

    * mol (dated)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (chemistry, physics) In the International System of Units, the base unit of amount of substance; the amount of substance of a system which contains as many elementary entities as there are atoms in 0.012 kg]] of . Symbol: mol. The number of atoms is known as [[Avogadro's number, Avogadro’s number
    • Synonyms
    * gram molecule

    Etymology 6

    (hydatidiform mole) From (etyl) mola.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A hemorrhagic mass of tissue in the uterus caused by a dead ovum.

    • Etymology 7

    From (etyl), from (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • One of several spicy sauces typical of the cuisine of Mexico and neighboring Central America, especially the sauce which contains chocolate and which is used in cooking main dishes, not desserts. mole (accessed: March 30, 2007)

    • References

    Anagrams

    * English terms with multiple etymologies ----

    desman

    English

    (wikipedia desman)

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Either of two species, , of aquatic or semi-aquatic insectivore of the mole family, Talpidae, found in Europe.
  • * 1995 , R. David Stone (editor), Eurasian Insectivores and Tree Shrews: Status Survey and Conservation Action Plan , page 50,
    • Unlike the Russian desman , the Pyrenean species lives along fast-flowing mountain streams.
  • * 2007 , George A. Feldhamer, Lee C. Drickamer, Stephen H. Vessey, Joseph F. Merritt, Carey Krajewski, Mammalogy: Adaptation, Diversity, Ecology , 3rd Edition, page 250,
    • Restricted to the Old World, desmans have a diet consisting of aquatic invertebrates and fish.
  • * 2010 , Joseph F. Merritt, The Biology of Small Mammals , page 38,
    • With the aid of its Eimer's organs, the desman' was able to detect engraved lines only one-fifteenth of a millimeter (0.067 mm, or 0.002 inches) in depth and width. There are two extant species of desmans: the Pyrenean '''desman''' (''Galemys pyrenaicus''), weighing about 65 g (2.3 oz) (fig 2.10), and the larger Russian '''desman (''Desmana moschata ), weighing 500 g (17.6 oz).

    Derived terms

    * (Pyrenean desman) (Galemys pyrenaicus ) * (Russian desman) (Desmana moschata )

    Anagrams

    * ----