English word origin

Etymology of molly

From Molly, the personal name, a pet form of Mary. In some cases it is possibly derived from mollitia (“softness, weakness”). Drug sense probably influenced by molecule, meaning MDMA.

3 source sectionsExtended source reportWiktionary original ↗

In this entry · 3 source sections

The source etymologies

Wiktionary via Kaikki / Wiktextract

The source reports below are imported and unreviewed by *SET-U. Separate numbered origins and differing source variants are preserved; agreement within this extraction is not independent corroboration.

Source etymology 1

Original entry ↗

verb

To engage in (male) homosexual activity with.

noun

A woman or girl, especially of low status or prostitute. · a male homosexual, especially an effeminate one. · Pure MDMA powder. · A mollemoke.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Molly, the personal name, a pet form of Mary. In some cases it is possibly derived from mollitia (“softness, weakness”). Drug sense probably influenced by molecule, meaning MDMA.

This page abbreviates 3 auxiliary source items. The etymology narrative is not shortened. Omission counts are available in the audit fields below; consult the original for complete auxiliary material.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "quote-journal",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "author": "Joseph J. Palamar",
        "title": "What’s in a Name? Correlates of Ecstasy Users Knowing or Agreeing that Molly is Ecstasy/MDMA",
        "work": "Journal of Psychoactive Drugs",
        "page": "88–93",
        "date": "2018-01",
        "url": "https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02791072.2017.1369200",
        "volume": "50",
        "issue": "1",
        "issn": "0279-1072",
        "doi": "10.1080/02791072.2017.1369200"
      },
      "expansion": "2018 January 28, Joseph J. Palamar, “What’s in a Name? Correlates of Ecstasy Users Knowing or Agreeing that Molly is Ecstasy/MDMA”, in Journal of Psychoactive Drugs, volume 50, number 1, →DOI, →ISSN, pages 88–93:"
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "Molly",
      "Molly#English"
    ],
    [
      "Mary",
      "Mary#English"
    ],
    [
      "mollitia",
      "mollitia#Latin"
    ],
    [
      "molecule",
      "molecule"
    ],
    [
      "MDMA",
      "MDMA#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "verb",
      "glosses": [
        "To engage in (male) homosexual activity with."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "1a15e8ab93714793a186b93c5cba5c9f6f45fe6c733a37bd4680e7dc24945340",
      "rawRecordSha256": "fa67d36016dd2b29113e91685752f5a0b9e2608cb8873d7b5f1a961010e132ab",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 238213
    },
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A woman or girl, especially of low status or prostitute.",
        "a male homosexual, especially an effeminate one.",
        "Pure MDMA powder.",
        "A mollemoke."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "Ireland",
        "countable",
        "uncountable",
        "slang"
      ],
      "recordId": "e98365276e41b947b56ed95457b1c264acb78ea0f1fb4c0b4c4598f4e0245620",
      "rawRecordSha256": "359599f6e7ec2a538bf379e995898e12e9f8363d5f84b4fb9a4db4526d98534d",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 238212
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 3,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 2

Original entry ↗

noun

A fish of the genus Poecilia, excluding Endler's livebearers and guppies.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

From Mollienesia, an invalid taxonomic name for the genus, influenced by the personal name Molly.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [],
  "links": [
    [
      "taxonomic",
      "taxonomic"
    ],
    [
      "genus",
      "genus"
    ],
    [
      "Molly",
      "Molly"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A fish of the genus Poecilia, excluding Endler's livebearers and guppies."
      ],
      "tags": [],
      "recordId": "55ca4cf54dca11936defd554fc068349a51e24187ae722de13cf32c154042b32",
      "rawRecordSha256": "f02ffe7bcc8fa6357d8b1d949d72ebc012304092fff9887bb38a6e06c59e04ea",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 238214
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Source etymology 4

Original entry ↗

noun

A Molotov cocktail.

Selected source glosses provide context, not a complete modern definition inventory

Clipping of Molotov.

Inspect preserved source fields

Raw extraction fields are retained for auditing. Their order does not establish ancestry.

{
  "templates": [
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "id": "molotov"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    },
    {
      "name": "clipping",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "Molotov"
      },
      "expansion": "Clipping of Molotov"
    },
    {
      "name": "etymon",
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "id": "molotov"
      },
      "expansion": ""
    }
  ],
  "links": [
    [
      "Molotov",
      "Molotov#English"
    ]
  ],
  "references": [],
  "descendants": [],
  "lexical": [
    {
      "pos": "noun",
      "glosses": [
        "A Molotov cocktail."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "slang"
      ],
      "recordId": "1779e7de45500ef516efd97feb485d6836f0a4eb88c4461916855b9f4b45731b",
      "rawRecordSha256": "29d9b2c13380eb359576fa7cca3dde4f5c4ecc83462e268e489993c71e05649d",
      "sourceRecordOrdinal": 238216
    }
  ],
  "omittedAuxiliaryFields": {
    "templates": 0,
    "links": 0,
    "references": 0,
    "descendants": 0,
    "lexicalRecords": 0,
    "lexicalSenses": 0,
    "glosses": 0
  }
}

Where this record stops

This page does not supply an independently verified sound-change sequence, first-use manuscript or complete family tree unless a cited analysis explicitly establishes one. Missing detail here is a limit of this record—not a claim that humanity knows nothing more.

An older meaning does not determine what a word must mean today. Follow the sources, preserve disagreements, and keep ancestry separate from interpretation.

Contribute located evidence for molly →

Source and snapshot

Imported from Wiktionary contributors; extracted by Tatu Ylonen / Wiktextract / Kaikki.org. Selected fields are reformatted and grouped; wording, source identity and etymology sections are retained. CC-BY-SA-4.0 applies to the imported source material.

Dump: 2026-10-01 · Extracted: 2026-10-30. These are snapshot dates, not the word’s first attestation or the page’s revision date.

Source entry and bibliography ↗Wiktionary revision history ↗Acquisition and rights ledger

Machine-source provenance

Source SHA-256: 5ff2c072f8099f2d2ce484bd6957bf179f046d2ad37bc36555edf8bb84cb5291
Import run: 73216b9a9b78ed3830994bf853103716f5a4dc57099e371e9f8fdc468facca26
Permanent entry ID: w-bW9sbHk