Mollycoddles

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. To pamper someone excessively, often making them overly indulgent or dependent
2. To treat an individual with undue gentleness, shielding them from hardship or adversity
3. To spoil someone by providing excessive care and attention, potentially hindering their ability to cope independently

Etymology: Coddle began as a cooking word meaning to boil something gently, just below the boil, as in a "coddled" egg. Its figurative sense of handling a person with the same care grew out of that tenderness. "Molly" was slang for an effeminate man, so "mollycoddle" was a pejorative pairing that described a pampered, soft-handled person. "Mollycoddles" is simply the plural of that noun, used when more than one person is being shielded from hardship.

Synonyms: pamperers, spoilers

Antonyms: neglectors