molehill
UK[ˈməʊlhɪl]US[ˈmoʊlhɪl]
n
a small mound of earth thrown up by a mole digging underground.
n
(in phrase 'make a mountain out of a molehill') a minor or trivial issue that has been exaggerated out of proportion.
Morpheme Breakdown
mole
hill
mole
hill
Etymology
the word 'molehill' is a transparent english compound, formed by directly combining the names of two concrete entities. 'mole' descends from middle english, likely related to old english 'moldwerp' (meaning 'earth-thrower'), which highlights the animal's digging behavior. 'hill' is a common germanic word for a raised landform. the compound's literal meaning, a small hill of earth created by a mole, is straightforward. its figurative use in the idiom 'make a mountain out of a molehill' leverages the stark contrast between a tiny mound and a vast mountain to critique disproportionate exaggeration, a metaphor that has been in use since at least the 16th century.
Analysis
Structure: mole + hill
mole (from middle english 'molle', of germanic origin, meaning the burrowing mammal) + hill (from old english 'hyll', of germanic origin, meaning a naturally raised area of land).
Examples
the garden was dotted with molehills, evidence of the nocturnal activity beneath the lawn.
don't make a mountain out of a molehill; it's just a small scratch on the car.
she tends to turn every minor disagreement into a crisis, constantly building molehills into mountains.