mollis

Meaning

1. (declension-3, two-termination) soft, delicate to the touch
2. (declension-3, two-termination) pliant, flexible, supple
3. (declension-3, two-termination) mild, tender
4. (declension-3, two-termination) tender, weak

Concepts

soft

gentle

tender

pliant

flexible

work-shy person

shirker

soften

easily moved

dilute

Opposite of

praevalēns, fortis, potis, potēns, validus, strēnuus, compos

Synonyms

lenis

malacus

mitis

imbecillus

defugiens laborem

vitans

delicatula

Translations

weich

molle

mole

mou

tou

suau

macio

zacht

blando

schwabbelig

flexible

feble

flessibile

schwammig

plàstic

Pronounced as (IPA)

[ˈmɔl.lɪs]

Etymology

From earlier *molvis, from *mollvis, from *molduis, itself from Proto-Italic *moldus, from Proto-Indo-European *ml̥dus (“soft, weak”), from Proto-Indo-European *(s)meld- (“to soften, melt”). According to De Vaan, the term was likely remade from a u-stem to an i-stem. However, De Vaan suggests that the original u-stem is present in terms such as Latin molluscus, which he explains as a derivation from *moldusko-, from *mldu-sko-.
Cognates include Latin mola, blandus, mortārium, Old Prussian maldai (“boys”), Welsh blydd (“soft”), Old Church Slavonic младъ (mladŭ, “young”), Sanskrit मृदु (mṛdú, “soft, mild, weak”), Old Armenian մեղկ (mełk, “soft, weak”), Ancient Greek βλαδύς (bladús, “weak”) and ἀμαλδύνω (amaldúnō, “to weaken, destroy”). More at mild.
An alternative hypothesis derives it from the Proto-Indo-European root *melh₂- (“to grind, crush, pulverize, mill”) via *mol-n-is; more at malleus.