What does "molly" mean?
A woman or girl, especially of low status.
Molly
/ˈmɒli/ name, noun, verb, slang
name, noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A woman or girl, especially of low status.
- Grammar: molly is listed as name, noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: ecstasy, female name, livebearer, mary.
- Usage evidence: Listen, um, I was wondering, what are you and Molly doing tonight?
How to use "molly"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "molly" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "molly" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "molly" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "molly" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "molly" is acting as name, noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "ecstasy" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "molly", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A woman or girl, especially of low status. Ireland, countable, uncountable
- 2 A fish of the genus Poecilia, except for those known as guppies.
- 3 Alternative spelling of mali (“a member of a caste in South Asia whose traditional occupation is gardening; hence, any South Asian gardener”). India, South-Asia, alt-of, alternative
- 4 A Molotov cocktail. slang
"Brimstone, Viper, and Phoenix's mollies were adjusted during a closed beta patch, changing the damage tick speed so players couldn't avoid damage by bunny hopping. Killjoy's Nanoswarm will likely follow suit."
- 5 Alternative letter-case form of molly: the crystalline or powdered form of MDMA. Canada, US, alt-of, slang, uncountable
Show 8 more definitions
- 6 popular aquarium fish wordnet
- 7 An effeminate male, a male homosexual. countable, slang, uncountable
- 8 A Molly Maguire. countable, historical, uncountable
- 9 Pure MDMA powder. slang, uncountable
"So la-da-di-da-di, we like to party / Dancing with Molly / Doing whatever we want"
- 10 A mollemoke. countable, uncountable
"So the petrels called to the mollys: but they were so busy and greedy, gobbling and pecking and spluttering and fighting over the blubber, that they did not take the least notice."
- 11 A female cat, a she-cat (usually spayed) countable, uncountable
- 12 A bird, the wagtail. countable, uncountable
- 13 A molly bolt. countable, uncountable
Verb
- 1 To engage in (male) homosexual activity with.
"I said, "I never mollied you." My Lord, I never laid Hands upon him, nor touch'd him."
Proper Noun
- 1 A diminutive of Mary or, less often, Margaret.
""My name's Molly. It is an old-fashioned name, and I was christened Mary. But Papa likes Molly." "That's right. Keep to the good old fashions, dear." "Well, I must say I think Mary is prettier than Molly, and quite as old a name, too," said Mrs Hamley. "I think it was," said Molly, lowering her voice, and dropping her eyes, "because mamma was Mary, and I was called Molly when she lived.""
- 2 A female given name from Hebrew.
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"Listen, um, I was wondering, what are you and Molly doing tonight?"
Common questions
What is a synonym for "molly"?
Common synonyms include: ecstasy, female name, livebearer, mary, mdma, mollie.
How do you use "molly" in a sentence?
Listen, um, I was wondering, what are you and Molly doing tonight?
How do you pronounce "molly"?
Pronounced /ˈmɒli/.
Etymology
Etymology 1
From Molly, the personal name, a pet form of Mary. In some cases it is possibly derived from mollitia (“softness, weakness”). Drug sense probably influenced by the initial of MDMA.
Etymology 2
From Mollienesia, an invalid taxonomic name for the genus, influenced by the personal name Molly.
Etymology 3
Clipping of Molotov.
Etymology 4
From Moll, diminutive lambdacism of Mary + -y.