Standard Lemma guide

mollycoddle

noun · verb · 4 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • UK: /ˈmɒl.ɪˌkɒd.əl/
  • US: /ˈmɑl.iˌkɑd.əl/
  • US: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • Australia: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -ɒdəl
  • CMU ARPABET: M AA1 L IY0 K AA2 D AH0 L Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A person, especially a man or a boy, who is pampered and overprotected.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: archaic

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To be overprotective and indulgent toward; to pamper.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

a pampered darling; an effeminate man

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: darling, favorite, favourite, pet, dearie, deary, ducky

4

verb

Meaning 4

treat with excessive indulgence

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

Examples

  • grandparents often pamper the children
  • Let's not mollycoddle our students!

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: pamper, featherbed, cosset, cocker, baby, coddle, spoil, indulge

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: treat, handle, do by

History

Etymology

From molly + coddle.

Across languages

Translations

39 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: мамино детенце (mamino detence) — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Czech: mazánek — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Dutch: wekeling — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Dutch: moederskindje — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Finnish: mammanpoika — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Greek: παραχαϊδεμένος (parachaïdeménos) — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Ancient Greek: τηθαλλαδοῦς (tēthalladoûs) — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Irish: peata mamaí — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Italian: cocco — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Italian: beniamino — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Italian: coccolo — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Italian: prediletto — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Italian: preferito — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Serbo-Croatian: mamina maza — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Serbo-Croatian: maza — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Serbo-Croatian: razmaženko — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Sicilian: papareḍḍa — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Turkish: hanım evladı — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Turkish: muhallebi çocuğu — person who is pampered and overprotected
  • Bulgarian: глезя (glezja) — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Bulgarian: изнежвам (iznežvam) — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Czech: rozmazlovat — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Dutch: vertroetelen — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Dutch: bemoederen — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Dutch: pamperen — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • French: couver — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • French: materner — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • German: verhätscheln — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Greek: παραχαϊδεύω (parachaïdévo) — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Greek: κανακεύω (kanakévo) — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Hungarian: ajnároz — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Hungarian: babusgat — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Hungarian: tutujgat — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Hungarian: elkényeztet — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Hungarian: kényeztet — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Māori: morimori — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Polish: rozpieścić — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Polish: rozpieszczać — to be overprotective and indulgent toward
  • Russian: балова́ть (balovátʹ) — to be overprotective and indulgent toward