mollycoddle English · revision 1386

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /ˈmɒl.ɪˌkɒd.əl/ ''(UK)''; /ˈmɑl.iˌkɑd.əl/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It was formed from ''molly'' “milksop, effeminate man”,^(AHD)^(Etymonline) from ''Molly'', a pet form of the name ''Mary'',^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(MW Collegiate) and [[coddle]].^(AHD)^(Barnhart 1995)^(Etymonline)^(RHWU)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A pampered, fastidious or effeminate man or boy (1828 in Etymonline;^(Etymonline) 1833 in Merriam-Webster;^(MW Collegiate) 1849 in Barnhart).^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ ''Molly'' had been used contemptuously for an effeminate man since at least 1707.^(Etymonline) The verb is implied in ''mollycoddling'' by 1839,^(Etymonline) while Merriam-Webster dates it to 1864 and Barnhart to 1870.^(MW Collegiate)^(Barnhart 1995)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1707 – ''molly'', a milksop.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1828 – noun, a pampered man or boy.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1839 – ''mollycoddling''.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1864 – verb, to pamper.^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Verb===

+ # To be overprotective and indulgent toward someone; to [[pamper]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ===Noun===

+ # A person, especially a man or boy, who is pampered and overprotected; a [[milksop]].^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)^(RHWU)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mollycoddler]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[coddle]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ Random House gives ''spoil'', ''indulge'' and ''cosset'' as synonyms of the verb.^(RHWU)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}