mollycoddle

English

WOTD – 5 February 2009

Etymology

molly +‎ coddle

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmɒl.ɪˌkɒd.əl/
• IPA^(key): /ˈmɑl.iˌkɑd.əl/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

• Audio (AU):

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• Rhymes: -ɒdəl

Noun

mollycoddle (plural mollycoddles)

1. (now rare) A person, especially a man or a boy, who is pampered and overprotected.
   • 2004: Chris Wallace, Character: Profiles in Presidential Courage

     No matter what pacifist "flubdubs and flapdoodle mollycoddles" might say, the President [Teddy Roosevelt] knew that if there were a general war then America could well be drawn into it.

Translations

person who is pampered and overprotected

• Czech: mazánek m
• Dutch: wekeling (nl), moederskindje (nl)
• Greek: παραχαϊδεμένος (el) m (parachaïdeménos)

  Ancient: τηθαλλαδοῦς m (tēthalladoûs)

• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Irish: peata mamaí m
• Italian: cocco (it) m, beniamino (it) m, coccolo (it) m, prediletto (it) m, preferito (it) m
• Serbo-Croatian: mamina maza f, maza (sh) f, razmaženko (sh) m

Verb

1. (transitive) To be overprotective and indulgent toward; to pamper.
   • 1904, Sabine Baring-Gould, The White Flag

     Heerendorp by this means obtained an evil notoriety, and it was ordered to be burnt, and the women of Jacob's family to be transferred to a concentration camp where they would be mollycoddled at the expense of the English taxpayer.

   • 2012, The Economist, Oct 13th 2012, Policy prescriptions: A True Progressivism

     Rich countries also need more competition in traditionally mollycoddled sectors such as education.

Translations

to be overprotective and indulgent toward

• Czech: rozmazlovat
• Dutch: vertroetelen (nl)
• French: couver (fr)
• Greek: παραχαϊδεύω (el) (parachaïdévo), κανακεύω (el) (kanakévo)
• (deprecated template usage) {{trans-mid}}
• Maori: morimori
• Polish: rozpieścić (pl), rozpieszczać
• Russian: балова́ть (ru) n or impf (balovátʹ)