molly

molly — noun

1. a small fish from warm or slightly salty water that people commonly keep in glas

1.noun
Definition

a small fish from warm or slightly salty water that people commonly keep in glass tanks at home

Example

Anjali bought three black mollies for her new aquarium last weekend.

quantifier + colour + mollies

The mollies swam to the surface when Liang sprinkled food into the tank.

Common collocations
  • black molly
  • silver molly
  • orange molly
  • molly fry
  • keep mollies
  • breed mollies
Synonyms
  • guppy

    a smaller live-bearing aquarium fish that is easier to breed and more common in pet stores

  • platy

    a similarly sized live-bearer with a rounder body, popular with beginner fish keepers

  • swordtail

    a larger relative with a long pointed tail fin, also from the Poecilia family

Grammar Patterns

countable noun

often used with a colour adjective

Usage Note

Plural form is mollies. People often describe the fish by its colour, as in black molly, silver molly, or orange molly.

Common Mistakes

I bought a molly fish for my tank.
I bought a molly for my tank.
molly already means a type of fish, so adding fish is repetitive.

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

Guppies, platies, and swordtails are all small live-bearing aquarium fish related to the molly. Mollies are generally larger and rounder-bodied than guppies, and they tolerate slightly salty water better than most other live-bearers. Platies are similar in size to mollies but come in fewer colour varieties and prefer completely fresh water. Swordtails are the largest of the group and have a distinctive long tail fin. For beginners, mollies and platies are equally easy to care for — for example, 'A tank with mollies and platies stays clean and peaceful without much effort.'

guppyplatyswordtail

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • keep mollies
  • breed mollies
  • feed mollies

Etymology

scientific LatinEnglish

The word molly is a shortened form of Mollienesia, the scientific genus name that early fish experts gave to this group. People began using molly as a simple common name for these popular aquarium fish.