mildew

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English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
Powdery mildew on pumpkin leaves

Etymology

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From Middle English myldew, from Old English meledēaw, mildēaw, from Proto-West Germanic *milidauw, from *mili (honey) +‎ *dauw (dew). Compare West Frisian moaldau, Dutch meeldauw, German Mehltau. More at dew.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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mildew (uncountable)

  1. (phytopathology) A growth of minute powdery or webby fungi, whitish or of different colors, found on various diseased or decaying substances.

Derived terms

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Descendants

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  • Catalan: míldiu
  • French: mildiou
  • Portuguese: míldio
  • Spanish: mildiu

Translations

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Verb

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mildew (third-person singular simple present mildews, present participle mildewing, simple past and past participle mildewed)

  1. (transitive) To taint with mildew.
    • c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies [] (First Folio), London: [] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene iv], page 298, column 1:
      Hee giues the Web and the Pin, ſquints the eye, and makes the Hare‐lippe; Mildewes the white Wheate, and hurts the poore Creature of earth.
  2. (intransitive) To become tainted with mildew.

Translations

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See also

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Middle English

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Noun

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mildew

  1. Alternative form of myldew