mothball.
A small ball of chemical pesticide (originally camphor and now typically naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene) and deodorant placed in or around clothing and other articles to deter moth larvae which may damage them.
Meaning & usage
A small ball of chemical pesticide (originally camphor and now typically naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene) and deodorant placed in or around clothing and other articles to deter moth larvae which may damage them.
Where this word comes from
The noun is derived from moth + ball. The verb is derived from the noun.
To store (clothing, etc.) with mothballs (noun sense 1).
To stop using (something), and often to put it in storage; specifically, while keeping it in good condition so it can be used in the future.
They mothballed the old version after the new one came out.
To stop work on (a plan, project, etc.) for the time being; to postpone, to shelve.
Where this word comes from
The noun is derived from moth + ball. The verb is derived from the noun.
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Definitions, grammatical labels, IPA, etymology and examples: Wiktionary contributors, extracted by Kaikki / Wiktextract. Adapted under CC BY-SA 4.0. Selected fields and authored examples are shown; third-party quotations and audio are omitted. See contributor history.
Last enriched 2026-09-10. Definitions are in English. Romanizations are shown when supplied by the source; syllable estimates are omitted for unsupported scripts.