mold · mould
mold (American English) / mould (British English) — one pronunciation /moʊld/, two spellings, two meanings: fungal growth on food, OR a container used to shape things.
🇺🇸 American English
mold
🇬🇧 British English
mould
Same word. Same pronunciation.
/moʊld/
Different spelling depending on which side of the Atlantic you’re on.
two meanings: (1) fuzzy fungal growth on food · (2) a container used to shape liquid into a form — 'bread mold' · 'ice cube mold'
mouth shape
diphthong /oʊ/ — lips round and glide forward — like 'cold', 'bold', 'old' — the L is slightly silent before D
mold / mould
/moʊld/
vowel length
Two meanings, one word
Meaning 1 — Biology
Fungal growth
The fuzzy green or black growth that appears on old food or damp walls.
“There’s mold on the bread.”
Meaning 2 — Crafts / Cooking
A shaping container
A hollow form you pour liquid into so it takes a specific shape when solid.
“Pour the chocolate into the mold.”
Hear it in a sentence
“Black mold had appeared on the wall behind the bathroom tiles.”
“The bakery uses a traditional tin mould for its brioche loaves.”
Hear it in the wild
Real speech from native speakers — the most reliable way to check a pronunciation, since automated audio can vary by device and browser.
mold
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mould
Hear native speakers say “mould” in real sentences — news, lectures, and podcasts.
Opens YouTube-sourced clips in a new tab.
How teachers explain this
Approved tips from the community, sorted by helpfulness
Word family
mold / mould family ▸
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