The meaning of MOTHBALL is a ball made formerly of camphor but now often of naphthalene and paradichlorobenzene and used to keep moths away from clothing. How to use mothball in a sentence.

Mothballs[1] are small balls of chemical pesticide and deodorant, sometimes used when storing clothing and other materials susceptible to damage from silverfish, mold or moth larvae (especially clothes …

MOTHBALL meaning: 1. a small, white ball containing a chemical with a strong smell that keeps moths away from…. Learn more.

The old ship is being taken out of mothballs. Many navy ships were mothballed after the war.

A mothball is a small ball made of a special chemical, which you can put among clothes or blankets in order to keep moths away.

A condition of being set aside or discarded: have put the plan into mothballs. 1. To remove (a ship, for example) from active service or use and put into protective storage. 2. To defer indefinitely; shelve: …

6 days ago · Mothballs only help prevent spiders by keeping one of their food sources (moths) away. Here's how experts actually recommend keeping spiders away.

Factsheet What does the word mothball mean? There are six meanings listed in OED's entry for the word mothball. See ‘Meaning & use’ for definitions, usage, and quotation evidence.

Dec 15, 2025 · mothball (plural mothballs) (chiefly in the plural) A small ball of chemical pesticide (originally camphor and now typically naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene) and deodorant placed in …

Feb 16, 2021 · Although many people are familiar with the sight and smell of mothballs, very few give much thought on how they should and should not be used. Mothballs can be effective at repelling …