mole
UK: məʊl | US: moʊl
n. a small, burrowing mammal with dark velvety fur and tiny eyes
n. a spy who infiltrates an organization over a long period
n. a small, often pigmented spot on the skin
n. (chemistry) a unit of measurement for the amount of substance
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The animal/spot meanings trace back to Old English and Germanic roots for "mark" or "spot," reflecting the mole's dark fur or skin blemishes. The spy sense metaphorically borrows the animal's hidden, tunneling behavior. The chemistry term is a modern German abbreviation, unrelated to other meanings.
A mole dug tunnels in my garden overnight.
The spy was a mole who had worked undetected for years.
She had a tiny mole on her cheek.
One mole of carbon contains 6.022 × 10²³ atoms.
The dermatologist checked the mole for signs of melanoma.