mildew
UK[ˈmɪldjuː]US[ˈmɪlduː]
n
a thin whitish coating of fungus that grows on plants, food, leather, etc., especially when it is warm and damp.
v
to affect or become affected with mildew.
Etymology
mildew is a native english word with old english origins, appearing as 'mildēaw' meaning 'honeydew' or a sticky substance excreted by insects. the term is a compound of 'melu' (meal, flour) and 'dēaw' (dew), literally describing a substance that looks like 'flour-dew' or a powdery, damp residue. this literal sense evolved to specifically denote the fungal growth that exhibits a similar pale, powdery or downy appearance on surfaces in damp conditions. the semantic shift highlights the descriptive nature of old english compounding, where observable physical qualities were used to name natural phenomena.
Analysis
the word is a simplex unit. its first element 'mil-' likely relates to old english 'melu' (meal, flour) due to its powdery appearance. the second element '-dew' comes from old english 'dēaw' (dew), referring to moisture.
Examples
the old books in the basement were covered in mildew.
damp conditions can cause roses to mildew.
a musty smell of mildew filled the abandoned cottage.