German

Noun

Mollis

1. genitive singular of Molli
2. plural of Molli

French

Verb

mollis

1. first-person singular present indicative of mollir
2. second-person singular present indicative of mollir
3. first-person singular past historic of mollir
4. second-person singular past historic of mollir
5. second-person singular imperative of mollir

Participle

mollis

1. masculine plural of the past participle of mollir

Latin

Etymology

From earlier *molduis, from Proto-Indo-European *(h₂)moldus ‎(“soft, weak”), from Proto-Indo-European *mel- ‎(“soft, weak, tender”). Cognates include Latin mola, blandus, mortārium, Old Prussian maldai ‎(“boys”), Old Church Slavonic младъ ‎(mladŭ, “young”), Sanskrit मृदु ‎(mṛdú, “soft, mild, weak”), Old Armenian մեղկ ‎(mełk, “soft, weak”), Ancient Greek βλαδύς ‎(bladús, “weak”) and ἀμαλδύνω ‎(amaldúnō, “to weaken, destroy”). More at mild.

Pronunciation

• (Classical) IPA^(key): /ˈmol.lis/

Adjective

mollis m, f ‎(neuter molle); third declension

1. soft, delicate to the touch
   • 405 CE, Jerome, Vulgate Matthaeus.11.8

     sed quid existis videre hominem mollibus vestitum ecce qui mollibus vestiuntur in domibus regum sunt

     But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing are in kings' houses.

2. pliant, flexible, supple
   • c. 77 CE – 79 CE, Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia 23.26

     diligentior cura mollia panis fermentati colat aqua fervente

     Those who take the most care boil the soft part of leavened bread then strain off the water;

3. mild, tender
   • 405 CE, Jerome, Vulgate Proverbia.15.1

     responsio mollis frangit iram sermo durus suscitat furorem

     A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.

4. tender, weak
5. (New Latin) Used as a species epithet.

Inflection

Third declension.

• comparative: mollior, superlative: mollissimus

Synonyms

• (soft): molluscus, tener
• (pliant): facilis, flexibilis, lentus
• (tender): tener

Antonyms

• (soft): dūrus
• (pliant): rigidus

Derived terms

Descendants

References

• mollis in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• mollis in Charlton T. Lewis (1891) An Elementary Latin Dictionary, New York: Harper & Brothers
• MOLLIS in Charles du Fresne du Cange’s Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition, 1883–1887)
• Félix Gaffiot (1934), “mollis”, in Dictionnaire Illustré Latin-Français, Paris: Hachette.