Favorite Words — the Letter M |
| M |
| Go to any of the following websites to look up any of the words below you are interested in knowing more about: Macmillan, Howjsay, Merriam-Webster, The Free Dictionary by Farlex, and Cambridge Dictionary. |
| MA (maah) – The essence of Japanese aesthetic — the pure, and indeed essential, void/space between all “things.” Where there is clutter, even valuable things lose their value. Where there is too much, nothing stands out. MA is in the purposeful pauses in speech which make words stand out. It is in the quiet time we all need to make our busy lives meaningful, and in the silence between the notes which make the music. MA is manifest in Japanese living architecture, garden design, musics, flower arrangements (Ikebana) and poetry.
macabre mac’ulate — spot, blemish or pollute madcap maddening madeleine — rich cake in shell shaped mold macro — large mad’ras — cotton cloth of fine texture, usu. with a plaid striped or checked pattern mad’rigal — short poem, often about love, suitable for being set to music mael’strom — violent or turbulent situation; whirlpool of extraordinary size or violence maestro — master in an art, esp. a composer, conductor or music teacher maf’fick — to rejoice or celebrate with boisterous public demonstrations magenta — vivid purplish red Maginot — fr. politician who proposed the Maginot line of fortifications along France’s border with germany. The line was bypassed and captured by the germans in 1940 magister’ial — authoritative magna carta — the charter of English political and civil liberties granted by king john at Runnymede in june 1215; document or piece of legislation guaranteeing basic rights magna cum laude (mag.na.koom.lou’da) — with high honors magnanimity (mag.na.nim’.i.tee) — quality of being magnaminous magnan’imous — courageously noble in mind and heart; generous in forgiving; eschewing resentment or revenge; unselfish mag’nate — powerful or influential person; esp. in business or industry magnetic magnificence magnil’oquent — lofty and extravagant in speech; grandiloquent magnitude — greatness of rank or position; greatness in size or extent; significance or influence mag’num — bottle, holding two fifths of a gallon (1.5 liters) for wine or liquor magnum opus — great work, esp. a literary or artistic masterpiece; greatest single work of an artist, writer, composer mah jong — game of Chinese origin, usu. played by four people with tiles resembling dominoes and bearing various designs mahogany — moderate reddish brown maidenhead — quality of being a maiden; virginity; the hymen Maid Marian — robin hood’s sweetheart maim mainline — inject a drug directly into a major vein; being a principal or well—established position mainspring — principal spring in a mechanical device, esp. a watch or clock; chief motivating force mainstay — chief support maillot (ma.yo’) — swimsuit usu cut high on the leg; pair of tights or leotard of coarsely knitted stretchable jersey fabric majestic majol’ica — tin-glazed earthenware, often richly colored and decorated, esp. an earthernware of this type made in italy major-domo — head steward or butler in household of a sovereign or great noble; steward or butler; one who makes arrangements or directs affairs for another majuscule (ma.jus’kyool) — large letter, either capital or uncial, used in writing or printing Makar (maa’ker) — Scottish, poet makeshift malachite (mal’a.kite) — light to dark green carbonate mineral; used as a source of copper and for ornamental stoneware maladjusted maladroit’ — marked by a lack of adroitness; inept mal’ady — disease, a distorder or an ailment malaise (ma.laze’) — vague feeling of bodily discomfort; general sense of depression or unease mal’apert — impudently bold in speech or manner; saucy mal’aprop — ludicrous misuse of word, esp. confusion with one of similar sound (Mrs. Malaprop from The Rivals by Sheridan) mal’content mal de mer (mal’ da mare’) — seasickness malentendu malevolent — exhibiting ill will malfea’sance — misconduct or wrongdoing mal’ice malign’ — to make evil, harmful, and often untrue statements about; speak evil of; showing malice or ill will malihini (ma.li.he’ne) — newcomer to hawaii malin’gerer — someone who feigns illness or other incapacity in order to avoid duty or work malleable maim’sey — sweet fortified wine now produced mainly in madeira malnour’ished malo’dor — bad odor; a stench malo’dorous — foul, bad odor mal’efactor — one that has committed a crime; a criminal; evildoer maledic’tion — the calling down of a curse; a curse malicious mam’mon — riches, avarice and worldly gain personified as a false god in the bible mommoth malar (ma’ler) — relating to cheekbone or the cheek ma’na — supernatural force believed to dwell in a person or sacred object man’acle — device for confining the hands, usu. consisting of two metal rings that are fastened about the wrists and joined by a metal chain; something that confines or restrains mandala (mun’da.la) — geometric designs symbolic of the universe and its powers, used in Hinduism and Buddhism to transform the adept through meditation. manda’mus — writ issued by a superior court ordering a public official or body or a lower court to perform a specified duty man’date — authoritative command or instruction man’dible — lower jaw of a vertebrate animal; various moth organs of invertebrates used for seizing and biting food man’drel — spindle or an axle used to secure or support material being machined or milled. A metal rod or bar around which material, such as metal or glass may be shaped manege (ma.nezh’) — act of training and riding horses manes (may’nez) — spirits of the dead, regarded as minor supernatural powers in ancient roman religion; revered spirit of one who has died maneuver mangle — mutilate or disfigure by battering, hacking cutting or tearing; ruin through ineptitude or ignorance manhandle mani’acal Manichaeism (man.i.key’iz.em) — dualistic phil. dividing the world between good and evil principles or regarding matter as intrinsically evil and mind as intrinsically good (from Persian prophet Manes) man’ifest — clearly apparent to the sight or understanding; to be evidence of; prove; invoice of goods manifold — many and varied; of many kinds; being such a variety of reasons manitou (man’i.too) — algonqian religion, a supernatural power that permeates the world, possessed in varying degrees by both spiritual and human beings; deity or spirit manom’eter — instrument used for measuring the pressure of liquids and gases manqué (man.kay’) — adj. unfulfilled or frustrated in the realization of one’s ambitions or capabilities man’sard — roof having two slopes on all four sides, with the lower slope almost vertical and the upper almost horizontal mansuetude (man’swi.tood) — gentleness of manner; mildness man’telet — short cape man’ticore — legendary monster having the head of a man, body of a lion, and the tail of a dragon or scorpion mantilla (man.tea’ya) — lightweight lace or silk scarf worn over the head and shoulders, often over a high comb (latin am. and spain) mantra — sacred verbal formula repeated in prayer, meditation, or incantation manumit (man.ye.mit’) — tr. v., to free from slavery or bondage; emancipate manx cat (mangks) — breed of domestic cat having short hair and lacking an external tail manzanilla (man.ze.nee’ya) — pale dry sherry from spain manzanita — evergreen shrubs or small trees bearing white or pink flowers and producing red berrylike drupes maquette (ma.ket’) — small model of an intended work, such as a sculpture maquillage (ma.ke.azh’) — cosmetic or theatrical makeup maraud’ — to rove and raid in search of booty marca’to (adv/adj.) (music) — with strong accentuation; a marcato passae or movement marcel’ — hairstyle with deep regular waves made by a curling iron. To make a marcel (Fr. Marcel Grateau hairdresser) marces’cent — withering but not falling off, as a blossom marching orders mar’duk — myth, chief Babylonian god mare clausum (ma’ray klou’sem) — navigable body of water under the jurisdiction of one nation and closed to all others mare liberum (ma’ray le’ba.room) — navigable body of water open to navigation by vessels of all nations maren’go — browned in oil and sautéed with tomatoes, mushrooms, garlic, onion and white wine mare nostrum (ma’ray no’strem) — navigable body of water under the jurisdiction of one nation or shared by two or more nations margar’ic — resembling pearl; pearly marginal — barely within a lower standard marginalia — notes in the margin or margins of a book marginalize — relegate or confine to a lower or outer limit or edge, as in society maritime — of or relating to the sea, marine shipping or navigation marked — clearly defined or noticeable marl — mixture of clays, calcium and magnesium carbonates, and shell remnants, used to fertize lime-deficient soils mar’quetry — material, such as ivory, inlaid piece by piece into a wood surface in an intricate design and veneered to another surface, esp. of furniture, for decoration marquise (mar.kez’) — pointed oval shape of a gem marrons glaces (ma.ron’ gla.say’) — chestnuts glazed with sugar or preserved in vanilla flavored syrup mar’row — the inmost, choicest, or essential part; strength, vigor or vitality marsu’pial — nonplacental mammals, inc. kangaroos and wombats martinet’ — rigid military disciplinarian mar’tingale — strap of horse’s harness that connects the girth to the noseband and prevents the horse from throwing back its head; method of gambling of doubling stakes after each loss mar’tyr — one who chooses to suffer death rather than renounce religious principles; one who makes a great show of suffering to arouse pity marvel mashie niblick – antique golf club (7 iron) masor’a — jewish tradition of vocalization and reading of the Bible massive masterful mastermind masterstroke mas’tery mastic — aromatic resin of mastic tree, used in varnishes, lacquers, adhesives, and condiments and as astringent; pastelike cement used in highway construction; esp. one made with powdered lime or brick and tar mas’ticate — to chew food mat’ador — bullfighter who performs the final passes and kills the bull matelote (mat’l.ot) — fish stew cooked in a wine sauce maternal mat’ins — morning prayer matric’ulate — admitted into a college matrimony vine — thorny shrubs with purplish flowers and brightly colored berries maud’lin — effusively or tearfully sentimental (alteration of Mary Magdalene, frequently depicted as a tearful penitent mau’gre — notwithstanding maun’der — talk incoherently or aimlessly mauve (moeve) — grayish violet to reddish purple ma’ven — person who has special knowledge or experience; an expert mav’erick — one that rejects the dictates of or resists adherence to a group; dissenter mavour’neen — Irish; my darling mawk’ish — excessively and objectionably sentimental; sickening or insipid in taste max’im — succinct formulation of a fundamental principle, general truth, or rule of conduct ma’ya (n. Hinduism) — power of a god or demon to transform a concept into an element of the sensible world may’hem — law to willfully maim or cripple someone; violent disorder, havoc mazel tov (ma’zel tof) — used to express congratulations or best wishes ma’zer — large drinking bowl or goblet made of metal or hard wood mazu’ma — slang. money; cash (yiddish) mazur’ka — lively polish dance resembling the polka McCar’thyism — publicizing accusations of political disloyalty or subversion with insufficient regard to evidence McCoy’ — the authentic thing or quality mea culpa (ma’a kul’pa) — an acknowledgment of a personal error or fault mead — alcoholic beverage made from fermented honey and water meager meander measly measurable meaty mec’ca — place regarded as the center of an activity or interest; goal to which adherents of a religion aspire mec’hanize meda’ka — small Japanese fish often used in biological research or in stocking aquariums mediagen’ic — attractive as a subject for reporting by news media meddlesome Medea (mi.dee’a) — gk myth. A princess and sorceress of Colchis who helped Jason obtain the Golden Fleece. Later, in retaliation for Jason marrying King Creon’s daughter, Medea kills her own children fathered by Jason. meddle me’diate mediocre (me.de.o’ker) — moderate to inferior Medu’sa — gk myth, the Gorgon who was killed by Perseus; winged human female monster with living venomous snakes in place of hair meer’schaum — tobacco pipe with a bowl made of this mineral Megaera (ma.jir’a) gk. myth, one of the furies meg’alomania — obsession with grandiose or extravagant things or actions me’grim — caprice or fancy; depression, low spirits melancho’ly mélange (may.lanzh’) — mixure mel’anous — having a swarthy or black complexion and black hair melee (may’lay) — hand-to-hand fighting in a pitched battle; violent free-for-all mel’iorate — make better; improve meliorism — belief that society has an innate tendency toward improvement that may be furthered through conscious effort mellif’luous — flowing with sweetness or honey; smooth and sweet; a mellifluous voice melo’dious — containing a pleasing tune or melody melodramat’ic meltdown — overheating of nuclear reactor core, resulting in its melting and the escape of radiation memento mori (mor’ee) — reminder of death or mortality, esp. a death’s head Mem’non — gk. myth. Ethiopian king killed by Achilles and made immortal by Zeus memorabil’ia memor’ialize Melpomene (mel.pom’a.ne) gk. myth. muse of tragedy men’ace menag’erie — diverse group; collection of wild animals for exhibit me’nial Menan’der — greek dramatist whose works were influential in the development of comedy menarche (ma.nar’key) — first menstrual period menda’cious — false; untrue men’dicant — beggar, member of an order of friars who beg for a living Menelaus (men.a.lay’es) gk. myth — king of sparta who was husband of Helen and brother of Agamemnon meniere’s disease (man.yarz’) — disease of the inner ear char. by dizziness, ringing in the ears, and progressive loss of hearing menis’cus — cresent shaped body men’nonite — member of Anabaptist church, simplicity of life, pacifism meno mosso (men’o mas’so) — music at a lower speed menor’ah — nine-branched candelabrum used in celebration of Hanukkah mentality menta’tion — mental activity; thinking Mephistopheles (mef.i.stof’a.leeze) — the devil in the Faust legend to whom Faust sold his soul mentor mer’cantile — relating to merchants/trade mer’cenary — motivated solely by a desire for monetary gain mercurial (mer.kyoor’e.al) — quick and changeable in temperament; volatile; relates to roman god mercury meretricious (mer.i.trish’es) — attracting attention in a vulgar manner; plausible but false or insincere; specious merid’ian — imaginary great circle on the earth’s surface passing through the north and south geographic poles; either half of such a great circle from pole to pole meritor’ious — deserving reward or praise mer’lon — solid portion of a crenelated wall between two open spaces mer’riment mer’ryan’drew — a clown; a buffoon mesalliance (may.zal’e.ens) — marriage with a person of inferior social position mescal’ — mexican liquor distilled from fermented agave juice mes’merize meso — intermediate messiah (ma.sigh’a) — anticipated savor of the jews mesti’zo — man or boy of mixed racial ancestry in partic. european and native am. meta — later in time; situated behind; change metafiction — fiction that deals, often playfully and self-referentially with the writing of fiction or its conventions met’aphor — figure of speech in which a word or phrase that designates one thing is applied to another in an implicit comparison metaphysics — phil. addresses questions about the ultimate composition of reality, including the relationship between mind and matter mete (meet) — boundary line; a limit: metes and bounds meteoric (me.te.or’ik) — similar to a meteor in speed, brilliance, or brevity methodol’ogy metic’ulous métier (me.tea.ay’) — occupation, trade or profession metis (may.tes’) — person of mixed racial ancestry meton’ymy — figure of speech in which one word or phrase is substituted for another with which it is closely associated, as in the use of the sword for military power metopic (ma.top’ik) — of or relating to the forehead met’rical — poetic meter met’ronome — device that marks time with ticks or flashes at regular, adjustable intervals mettlesome meuniere (men.yar’;) — rolled in flour and fried in butter, us. with lemon juice and chopped parsley for garnish mezzanine (mez’a.neen) — lowest balcony in a theatre or the first few rows of a balcony mias’ma — noxious atmosphere or influence mic’haelmas — Christian feast observed on September 29 in honor of archangel michael Mickey Finn — alcoholic beverage surreptitiously altered to be incapacitating mick’le — large amount microcosm (mi’kre.koz.em) — small representative system having analogies to a larger system in constitution, configuration or development microm’eter — device for measuring very small distances, objects, or angles, exp. one based on a rotation of a finely threaded screw microscop’ic — too small to be seen by unaided eye, but under microscope micro — basic or small scale middlebrow — somewhat cultured middleweight — prof. boxer weighing more than 147 and not more than 160 pounds; heavier than welterweight and lighter than a light heavyweight mid’dling — of medium size, position or quality midst mien (mean) — bearing or manner, esp. as it reveals an inner state of mind miffed — petulant, bad-tempered mood migratory milieu (mil.yoo’) — environment or a setting milli — one thousandth mil’liner — hat maker/seller milquetoast (milk’toast) — one who has a meek timid nature mimesis (mi.me’sis) — imitation or representation of aspects of the sensible world; esp. human actions, in literature and art mincing — affectedly refined or dainty mince — restrain words for sake of politeness mind-altering Minerva (min er’ va) — rom myth, goddess of wisdom, invention, the arts, and martial prowess (greek: Athena) mindset minaudiere (me.no.dyar’) — small ornamental case for a woman’s cosmetics, jewelry or personal items mingle min’imalism — school of abstract art that emphasizes simplification in form, as by the use of basic shapes; fewest and barest essentials or elements, as in literature or design min’imize — reduce min’ion — obsequious follower or dependent; a sycophant; subordinate official min’iscule Minotaur (min’a.tar) — gk, myth. monster who was half man and half bull, to whom young Athenian men and women were sacrificed in the Cretan labyrinth minuteman — armed man pledged to be ready to fight on a minute’s notice just before and during the revolutionary war minutia (mi.noo’she.a) — small or trivial detail mirac’ulous mirador’ — window, balcony or small tower affording an extensive view Miranda — person under arrest be informed of his or her legal rights (miranda v. Arizona 1966) mire — disadvantagious or difficult condition or situation; wet, soggy, muddy ground; a bog misbegotten — improper basis or origin mis’anthrope — hates humankind miscarriage — mismanagement (miscarriage of justice) miscegenation (mi.sej.e.na’shen) — mixture of diff. races mischance’ mis’chievous (mis’che.ves) mis’creant — villain; evildoer mise en scene (meez’ an.sen’) — arrangement of performers and properties on a stage for a theatrical production; stage setting; surroundings mishap misno’mer — error in naming a person or place; application of a wrong name misog’yny — hatred of women misplaced modifier — modifying clause or phrase mis’sal — prayer book mis’sive — written message; a letter misstep’ mis’tral — cold dry northerly wind that blows in squalls toward the mediterranean coast of S. france misty-eyed miter (mi’ter) — joint: made with two surfaces each beveled usu. at a 45 degree angle, to form a corner, usu. a 90 degree angle mit’igate — to moderate in force or intensity; alleviate mixed metaphor — succession of incongruous metaphors, as in the negotiator played his cards to the hilt mixol’ogy — study of preparing mixed drinks (mixol’ogist) mnemonics (na.mon’iks) — sys. to develop or improve memory Mnemosyne (na.mos’a.knee) — gk. myth, goddess of memory and mother of the muses mo’bile Mo’bius strip — continuous one-sided surface formed from a rectangular strip by rotating one end 180 degrees and attaching it to the other end (Ferdinand Mobius — German mathematician) mock’ery mock up mod’erator — arbitrator or mediator mod’icum — small, moderate or token amount modiste (mo.deest’) — one that produces, designs, or deals in women’s fashions mo’dus operan’di — method of operating or functioning modus viven’de — manner of living; a way of life mo’gul — small hard mound or bump on ski slope mohair — long, silky hair of angora goat moi’e.ty — a half; part, portion or share moiré’ effect — effect of superimposing a repetitive design on the same or another design to produce a distinct pattern (moiré — fabric that has a rippled surface pattern) moke — dull person molec’ular — relating to simple or basic structure or form mol’ify — to calm in temper or feeling; soothe mol’lycoddle — to be overprotective and indulgent toward; male who is pampered and overprotected mol’otov cocktail — makeshift bomb made of a breakable container filled with flammable liquid and provided with a rag wick momentar’ily momen’tous mon’grel — mixed breed mon’ocle — eyeglass for one eye monog’amy mon’oglot — person who knows only one language mon’ologue — dramatic soliloquy monoma’nia monop’oly monotonous moot — of no practical importance; irrelevant morale morass’ — something that hinders, engulfs, or overwhelms (low-lying soggy ground) morator’ium — authorized period of delay in the performance of an obligation; suspension of an activity morbid’ity mor’dant — bitingly sarcastic; painful moreover mores (mor ays’) — accepted customers and usages of a social group; manners; ways Morgan le Fay — Arthurian legend, the sorceress sister and enemy of King Arthur Morning Star — planet, esp. Venus, visible in the east just before or at sunrise mornay’ — served with white sauce flavored with cheese and seasonings morose’ — sullenly melancholy; gloomy mor’pheme — meaningful linquistic unit consisting of a word, such as man, or a word element, such as ed in walked, that cannot be divided into smaller meaningful parts mor’sel morti’cian mor’tify — to cause to experience shame, humiliation or wounded pride mor’tise — rectangular, usu., cavity in a piece of wood, stone, etc., prepared to receive a tenon and thus form a joint (mortise and tenon) mort’main — often oppressive influence of the past on the present mostaccioli (mo.sta’cha.lee) — short tubular pasta with slanted ends (like penne) mother lode — main vein of ore in a region; abundant or rich source mother tongue — one’s native language mother wit — innate intelligence or common sense motif’ — recurrent thematic element in an artistic or literary work mot juste (mo zhust’) — exactly the right word or expression mot’ley mot’tle — mark with spots or blotches of different shades or colors moue (moo) — grimace, pout moulage’ — mold, as of a footprint, for use in a criminal investigation moun’tebank — flamboyant charlatan movable feast — religious holiday, such as Easter, that changes in date from year to year mox’ie — aggressive energy; initiative; skill; ability to face difficulty with spirit and courage Mrs. Grun’dy — very conventional or priggish person (play, Speed the Plough, by Thomas Morton) muck’raker — one who searches for and exposes misconduct in public life mud’dle mufti (muf’tea) — civilian dress, esp. when worn by one who normally wears a uniform mug’wump — person who acts independently or remains neutral, esp. in politics. The word mugwump was used in 1884 to describe a Republican who refused to support their presidential candidate James Blaine due to his reputation for corruption. These Republicans instead supported the Democratic candidate Grover Cleveland ensuring his victory. The word is sometimes explained as denoting a person who sits on the fence, with his mug (face) on one side and wump (rump) on the other. muk’luk — soft boot made of reindeer skin or sealskin worn by Eskimos mulch — protective covering us of organic matter such as leaves, placed around plants to prevent the evaporation of moisture, the freezing of roots, and the growth of weeds mule’ta — short red cape used by a matador during the final passes before a kill muliebrity (myoo.le.eb’ra.tea) — state of being a woman; femininity mull mul’lion — vertical strip dividing the panes of a window multifac’eted — having many facets or aspects multiplic’ity — state of being various or manifold mulligan — take a mulligan in golf, if you don’t like your FIRST shot at the FIRST hole, you can place a new ball and tee off again… a second chance, so to speak mul’titude multiva’lent — having various meanings munchhausen (mun’chou.zen) — German soldier and raconteur known for his fantastic stories about his adventures munif’icent — very liberal in giving; generous murk’y — dark, dim, or glommy; lacking clarity murphy bed — bed that folds or swings into a closet for concealment (trundle — one bed slides under the other) muse — Gk. myth, any of nine daughters of mnemosyne and Zeus, each of whom presided over a different art or science mus’ter — call forth, summon up mut’ter myr’iad — vast number myrrh (mur) — gum resin, used in perfume and incense mystique (mi.stek’) myth’ical |
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