What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Mole vs Mote - What's the difference?

mole | mote |

As nouns the difference between mole and mote

is that mole is a pigmented spot on the skin, a naevus, slightly raised, and sometimes hairy while mote is a small particle; a speck.

As a proper noun Mole

is a river in Surrey, England.

As a verb mote is

may or might.

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 ----

    mote

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A small particle; a speck.
  • *
    • Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother’s eye.
  • A tiny computer for remote sensing. Also known as smartdust.
    • See also
    * floater

    Etymology 2

    From (etyl) moten, from (etyl) . Related to (l).

    Verb

    (head)
  • * 1596 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , VI.7:
    • he […] kept aloofe for dread to be descryde, / Untill fit time and place he mote' espy, / Where he ' mote worke him scath and villeny.
  • (obsolete) Must.
  • * 1980 , (Erica Jong), Fanny :
    • ‘I shall not take Vengeance into my own Hands. The Goddess will do what She will.’ ‘So mote it be,’ said the Grandmaster.
    Usage notes
    * Generally takes an infinitive without to .

    Etymology 3

    See .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • (obsolete) A meeting for discussion.
    • a wardmote in the city of London
  • (obsolete) A body of persons who meet for discussion, especially about the management of affairs.
    • a folkmote
  • (obsolete) A place of meeting for discussion.
    • Derived terms
    * mote bell

    Anagrams

    * ----