Mole
The
word
mole when used alone, has several possible meanings in the
English language.
- in science,
particularly chemistry,
the mole is the SI unit
for amount of substance. See mole
(unit).
- in zoology,
a mole is a small burrowing insectivorous
mammal. There are also similar-looking
but herbivorous rodents called
mole rats that enjoy a similar life-style and are commonly called "moles". See
mole (animal)
- in cooking, mole
is a Mexican sauce made from
chilis mixed with spices, unsweetened chocolate,
peanuts and many other ingredients.
(Note that unlike the other uses on this page, this meaning is derived from the
Spanish
and is pronounced as two syllables.) See mole
(Mexican sauce)
- in medicine, a mole is a small
spot of darkened pigment
on the skin, which forms where
there is a high concentation of melanin.
See mole
(skin marking)
- in politics, a mole is a spy
working under deep-cover, named after the burrowing animal: see Mole
(espionage).
- There is a reality
television series named after the type of spy: see The
Mole.
- In architecture, a massive structure, usually of stone,
used as pier, breakwater or junction between places separated by water: see Mole
(architecture).
- In engineering, a mole machine is a vehicle designed
to travel underground by boring a tunnel.