noun · verb · 6 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.
Received-Pronunciation:/ˈmɒθbɔːl/
Southern-England:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
General-American:/ˈmɔθˌbɔl/
General-American, cot-caught-merger:/ˈmɑθˌbɑl/
General-American:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
CMU ARPABET:M AO1 TH B AO2 L
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A small ball of chemical pesticide (originally camphor and now typically naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene) and deodorant placed in or around clothing and other articles to deter moth larvae which may damage them.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: in-plural
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To store (clothing, etc.) with mothballs (noun sense 1).
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
verb
Meaning 3
To stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
Qualifier: chiefly passive voice
Examples
They mothballed the old version after the new one came out.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: demothball, unmothball
4
verb
Meaning 4
To stop work on (a plan, project, etc.) for the time being; to postpone, to shelve.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: figuratively, transitive
Qualifier: chiefly passive voice
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: defer, set aside
Antonyms: none provided
5
noun
Meaning 5
a small sphere of camphor or naphthalene used to keep moths away from stored clothing
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: camphor ball
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: ball, globe, orb
6
verb
Meaning 6
put into long-term storage
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: store
History
Etymology
The noun is derived from moth + ball. The verb is derived from the noun.
Across languages
Translations
62 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
топче нафталин
(topče naftalin)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Cebuano:
naptalina
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Chinese Cantonese:
衛生球 /卫生球
(wai6 sang1 kau4)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Chinese Cantonese:
樟腦丸 /樟脑丸
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Chinese:
臭丸
(zh-min-nan)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Chinese:
樟腦丸 /樟脑丸
(chiun-ló-oân)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Chinese Mandarin:
臭球
(chòuqiú)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Chinese Mandarin:
臭球兒 /臭球儿
(chòuqiúr)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Chinese Mandarin:
衛生丸子 /卫生丸子
(uei4 sen1 yenn2 zr)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Chinese Mandarin:
衛生球 /卫生球
(wèishēngqiú)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Chinese Mandarin:
樟腦丸 /樟脑丸
(zhāngnǎowán)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Czech:
naftalín
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Danish:
mølkugle
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Dutch:
mottenbal
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Erzya:
киньгуловтома
(kińgulovtoma)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Faroese:
mølkúla
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Finnish:
koinmyrkky
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Finnish:
koipallo
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
French:
boule de naphtaline
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
German:
Mottenkugel
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Greek:
ναφθαλίνη
(nafthalíni)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Hungarian:
molyirtó
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Icelandic:
mölkúla
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Italian:
naftalina
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Italian:
pallina tarmicida
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Korean:
좀약
(jomyak)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Luxembourgish:
Mattekugel
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Norwegian Bokmål:
møllkule
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Portuguese:
naftalina
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Romanian:
naftalină
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Russian:
нафтали́новый ша́рик
(naftalínovyj šárik)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Slovak:
naftalín
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Spanish:
bola de alcanfor
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Spanish:
bola de naftalina
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Swedish:
malkula
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Tamil:
அந்துருண்டை
(anturuṇṭai)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Thai:
ลูกเหม็น
(lûuk-měn)
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Turkish:
güve ilacı
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Turkish:
naftalin
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Vietnamese:
băng phiến
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Vietnamese:
long não
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Welsh:
pêl gamffor
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Zazaki:
korkı
— small ball of chemical pesticide to deter moth larvae
Finnish:
suojata koipalloilla
— to store (clothing, etc.) with mothballs
German:
einmotten
— to store (clothing, etc.) with mothballs
Bulgarian:
консервирам
(konserviram)
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Bulgarian:
прибирам
(pribiram)
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Dutch:
in de mottenballen leggen
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Finnish:
hyllyttää
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
German:
einmotten
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Hungarian:
elhalaszt
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Hungarian:
elnapol
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Hungarian:
félretesz
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Hungarian:
tartalékba tesz
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Japanese:
〜を使わずにとっておく
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Norwegian Bokmål:
legge på is
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Portuguese:
engavetar
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Russian:
законсервировать
(zakonservirovatʹ)
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Swedish:
förpuppa
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Swedish:
lägga i malpåse
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Swedish:
lägga på hyllan
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future
Swedish:
lägga på is
— to stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future