M-Word Vocabulary Definitions
macaronic | involving a humorous mixture of two or more languages |
macaboy | a perfumed snuff from Martinique |
mace. | a spice made from the nutmeg |
macédoine. | finely-cut vegetables or fruit |
macerate. | to soften by soaking; to starve |
mackle. | a spot: blurring or double image caused by a wrinkle in the paper |
macle. | chiastolite; twin; spot or discoloration in a mineral |
macrobiosis. | longevity |
macrobiotic. | promoting longevity |
macrocyte. | abnormally large hematocyte (anemia) |
macroglobulinea. | too many macro globulins |
macrograph. | image at least as large as the object |
macrography. | abnormally large handwriting, sometimes indicating a nervous disorder |
macromere. | a large blastomere |
macron. | indicates a long sound |
macrophyte. | macroscopic plant in aquatic environment |
macropterous. | large fins or wings |
macula. | spot, e.g., skin spot |
macula lutea. | center of fovea |
maculate. | spotted, stained, impure (immaculate) |
macushla. | darling (Irish) |
madding. | frenzied |
madelaine. | small, rich cake in shell-shaped mold |
madras. | striped or checked fine cloth; large handkerchief used as turban |
madrepore. | tropical reef-building coral |
madraporite. | perforated water intake structure of echinoderms (resembles madrepore) |
madrilene. | tomato-flavored consomme |
madrona. | tree |
mad tom. | catfish |
maduro. | cigar |
madwort. | low-growing Eurasian plant |
Maecenus. | generous patron of the arts |
masnad. | frenzied woman; member of orgiastic Dionysian cult |
maestoso. | in a majestic and stately manner |
maffick. | to celebrate in a boisterous public celebration |
magdalen. | a reformed prostitute |
Magdalenian. | upper Paleolithic, following Aurignacian |
Mogen David. | star of David |
Magisterium. | authority to teach religious doctrine, as claimed by the Catholic Church |
magistral. | magisterial; prepared as specified in a physician's prescription |
Maglmosian. | Mesolithic forest culture of northern Europe |
magneton. | dipole moment of an electron |
Magnifical. | the canticle beginning, "My soul doth magnify the Lord" |
magnus hitch. | clove hitch with one extra turn |
magot. | Barbary ape; fanciful figure in Chinese or Japanese style |
maguey. | agave family; maguey fiber |
maharishi. | Hindu teacher of mysticism and spiritual knowledge |
mahayana. | Buddhist school teaching social concern and universal salvation |
Mahdi. | Islamic messiah who will establish reign of righteousness at world's end |
mahueng. | ephedrine-bearing plant |
mahzor. | Hebrew holiday-ritual prayer book |
Maia. | eldest of the Pleides (brightest star) |
maidenhead. | virginity; hymen |
maiden over. | cricket term |
maieutic. | Socratic method. Teaches by questioning. |
main. | more than four, less than 9, called by caster before throw; cockfights |
main royalmast. | above main topgallant mast |
mainsheet. | rope setting mainsail angle |
mainstay. | braces mainmast |
mainmast. | between lower mast and main topgallant mast |
mattal. | rum, curacao, and fruit juice |
maitre d'hotel. | butter and lemon sauce |
majolica. | richly colored tin-glazed earthenware |
majoritarianism. | majority rule |
majuscule. | large letter |
makimono. | Japanese scroll featuring pictures or calligraphy |
mako shark. | big shark |
Malacca. | stem of rattan palm, used for walking sticks |
malachite. | green to nearly black. Copper carbonate |
malacology. | study of mollusks |
mala fide. | in bad faith |
Malaga. | sweet wine from Malaga, Spain |
Malagasy. | from Madagascar |
malagueña. | dance, folk tune from Malaga, like fandango |
malapert. | saucy, impudent |
mal de mer. | sickness of the sea |
malefic. | evil, malicious |
malentendu. | misunderstanding |
malahini. | Hawaiian newcomer |
malines. | thin, stiff, hexagonal veiling |
malison. | a curse. (Opposite of a benison). |
mallee. | scrubby Australian evergreen tree |
malemuck. | fulmar, albatross, or shearwater |
malleus. | largest of 3 middle-ear bones (Lat.: hammer). |
malm. | soft limestone; used in making bricks |
malmsey. | sweet fortified white wine |
Malpighian capsule. | mass of blood vessels attached to a kidney tubule |
Malpighian layer. | dermatogen. Deepest layer of epidermis |
Malpighian tube. | excretory tube in insects |
maltha. | black natural bitumen |
malvasia. | grape used for wine |
malversation. | misprisionment, defalcation, |
malvoisie. | malmsey wine |
mamba. | venomous African snake |
Mameluke. | former Turkish slaves that held the Egyptian throne from 1250 to 1517 |
mammilla. | nipple |
mana. | impersonal supernatural force |
manchineal. | poisonous S.A. tree |
mandala. | Oriental various designs symbolic of the universe |
mandamus. | writ from superior court to lower court directing some action |
mandean. | Mesopotamian gnostics |
mandragora. | the mandrake |
mandrel. | shaft on which rotating bit is mounted |
manege. | 1. Classical training of horse; haute ecole. 2. Riding academy. |
manes. | spirits of deified as minor gods |
mangabey. | equatorial African monkey, long tail and muzzle |
mangelwurzel. | beet used for cattle feed |
mangonel. | medieval catapult |
mangosteen. | fruit tree |
manioc. | cassava |
maniple. | ecclesiastical silk band hung from left wrist; a subdivision of a Roman legion containing 60 to 120 men |
mannitol. | alcohol used as a dietary sweetener. |
manque. | Unfulfilled, frustrated. Lat.: mancus, (maimed). |
mansuetude. | gentleness of manner, mildness |
manta. | rough-textured cotton fabric |
manteau. | loose cloak or mantle |
mantelet. | short cape; mobile screen to protect besieging soldiers |
manteletta. | knee-length, sleeveless Roman Catholic vestment |
manteltree. | supports masonry above the mantel |
mantic. | prophetic |
manticore. | head of man, body lion, tail of dragon or scorpion |
mantid. | mantis |
manubrium. | upper part of breastbone (sternum) |
mantilla. | 1. Spanish lace scarf over head and shoulders, usually with a high comb. 2. A short cape. |
mantlerock. | Regolith. |
Manteaux test. | TB test. |
manus. | end of forelimb (hand, hoof, or claw) |
manyplies. | the omasum |
maqul. | evergreen shrub; Chilean wine |
maquillage. | makeup |
maquis. | dense growth of small trees and shrubs; French underground |
marabou. | storks; stork's down; soft silk garment |
marabout. | Moslem hermit or saint (N. Africa) or his tomb |
maraca. | gourd |
maranta. | arrowroot; arrowroot starch |
marasmus. | wasting away of the body |
Maratha. | Scytho-Dravidian |
marcasite. | like iron pyrite |
marcescent. | wasting away |
Märchen. | fairy tale |
marchpane. | marzipan |
Marcionism. | Gnostic movement that rejected the Old Testament |
Marconi rig. | Bermuda rig |
Marduk. | chief god of Babylon |
mare clausium. | a sea claimed by one nation that excludes all others |
mare liberum. | open to all |
marengo. | browned in oil and sauteed in mushrooms, tomatoes, onions and white wine |
mare nostrum. | claimed by one or a few nations |
mare's nest. | hoax; extraordinarily complicated |
margeric. | pearly |
margarite. | A pearl. Gr.: margeron, (pearl). |
margarite. | mineral like mica with pearly luster |
margay. | spotted wildcat, Texas to Brazil (like a painter) |
marginalia. | scholia |
margraviate. | Margrave's territory. Gr.: mark, (march) + grave, (count). |
margravine. | wife or widow of a margrave |
marguerite. | plant, Canary Islands, like daisy |
maricolous. | inhabiting the sea |
mariculture. | cultivating marine organisms in their natural habitat |
marinade. | used to soak meat, fowl or fish before cooking. Lat.: marinade, (sea). |
Mariology. | excessive worship of Mary |
Mariology. | body of belief in Mary |
mariposa lily. | self-explanatory |
Marist. | Society of Mary (1824) |
mark. | 8 ounces |
marl. | mixture of clays carbonates, and ground-up shells used as a fertilizer |
marlinespike. | used to separate rope strands while splicing |
marlite. | marl with 25% to 75% clay, plus chalk. Resists weathering |
marmoreal. | like marble. Lat.: marmor, (marble). |
marmoset. | small monkeys OFr.: marmouser, (to murmur). |
marmot. | rodents |
marquee. | a large tent with open sides for outdoor entertainment; roof over entrance |
marquetry. | a furniture inlay. OFr.: marqueter, (to checker). |
marquise. | marchionesse; a marquee; marquis cut. Ger.: marche, (border). |
marquisette. | sheer fabric of cotton, rayon, silk, or nylon |
marram. | beach grass |
marron. | Spanish chestnut |
marrons glacês. | glazed chestnuts |
marseilles. | heavy cotton with raised stripes or figures |
marsupium. | marsupial pouch |
martagon. | lily |
Martello tower. | circular fort for coastal defense |
marten. | carnivores found in North woods |
martensite. | chief constituent of hardened carbon tool steels |
Mary Jane. | marijuana |
marzipan. | ground almonds, egg whites, and sugar |
mashie. | golf club |
masjid. | mosque |
Masorah. | body of tradition regarding reading the Old Testament; critical notes |
massasauga. | Canadian rattlesnake |
massé. | billiards stroke |
massiter. | main maxillary muscle |
massicot. | lead monoxide |
mast cell. | connective tissue cell. Contains heparin |
mastaba. | Egyptian tomb with rectangular base, sloping sides & flat roof |
mastic. | mastic tree; mastic resin; liqueur; cement, with powdered lime and tar |
mastic tree. | small evergreen tree; pepper tree |
mastigophoran . | protozoans with more than one flagellum |
mastitis. | inflammation of the bubby |
mastoid process. | bottom of skull just behind the ear |
mastoiditis. | inflammation of the mastoid process |
mastoid cell. | one of the air-filled spaces in the mastoid process |
Matabele. | Zulu tribe driven out of the Transvaal by the Boers in 1837 |
matchboard. | tongue-and-groove fit |
match play. | golf - counting number of holes rather than strokes |
maté. | mildly stimulating beverage made from the leaves of the maté |
matins. | office with lauds of first canonical hour |
matriclinous. | Predominantly maternal hereditary traits |
matriculate. | Enroll. Lat.: matrix, (list). |
maulstick. | used by painters to support their brush hands |
maund. | Asia, 11.2 to 37.358 kg. |
mavis. | the song thrush |
mavorneen. | "My darling" Irish |
maximalist. | revolutionary |
maxise. | Brazilian dance like two-step |
maya. | origin of the world (Hindu) |
maypop. | fruit-bearing vine |
mazaedium. | Fruiting body of lichens: spores in powdery mass inside peridium. Gr.: maza, (lump) + aedes, (house). |
mazel tov. | "Congratulations!" |
mazer. | Large drinking vessel of hardwood or metal. |
mazzard. | Wild, sweet cherry. |
mealie. | ear of corn |
mealy bug. | Destructive to citrus; covered with white powder |
meatus. | body canal, like ear opening, or urethral canal - Lat.: meare, (to pass). |
Mechlin. | Lace. Pattern details defined by flat thread. - Mechlin, Belgium |
meconium. | fetal excrement discharged at birth. |
mecopteran. | elongated head with flat beak and chewing mouthparts. - Gr.: mekos, (length) + pteran, (wing). |
medaka. | ricefish, killifish. Much used in biological research |
mediant. | 3rd note in diatonic scale |
mediastium. | septum dividing pleural sac, containing all viscera except lungs |
mediatize. | friendly takeover. Small state ruler retains some powers |
medic. | plant - Gr.: medike < Medikas < Media < Medes. |
medlar. | fruit tree - Gr.: mespile. |
medulla. | Mentral tissue--e. g. bone marrow. Inner core, pith. |
medullary sheath. | surrounds pith in plant cells |
medulated . | myelinated |
medusoid. | jellyfish |
meerschaum. | tough, hard, white mineral. Used to make pipes |
Megaera. | one of the Furies |
megapode. | South Pacific birds |
megaspore. | female gametophyte. |
megasporophyll. | Leaf-like structure producing megaspores - Gr.: phylla, (leaf). |
megatherium. | extinct large ground sloth - mega + ther, (beast). |
Megillah. | tediously detailed & embroidered account; Judaic scroll: Book of Esther |
megrim. | Migraine; depression or unhappiness; caprice or fancy. |
meiosis. | rhetorical understatement |
Meissen. | delicate porcelain dish |
melanite. | Black garnet - Gr.: melas, (black). |
melanoblastoma. | malignant tumor consisting of melanoblasts |
melanochroi. | Caucasians: dark hair and light skin. - Gr,: melas, (dark) + okhros, (pale). |
melanoid. | Has melanosis. |
melanosis. | abnormally dark skin caused by sunburn, or dermatoses |
melanous. | swarthy (dark-complected) or black complexion |
melaphyre. | dark igneous porphyry, studded with feldspar crystals |
Melchizeduk. | high priest who blessed Abraham; higher Mormon priesthood |
meld. | a combination of cards to be declared for a score |
melilot. | honey lotus |
melnite. | picrate explosive |
meliorate. | ameliorate |
meliorism. | society evolves to better and better |
melisma. | passage sung to one syllable of text, as in Gregorian chant |
mellophane. | brass musical instrument, sometimes substitute for French horn |
melodeon. | small reed organ |
meloid. | blister beetle |
Melpomene. | Muse of tragedy |
mellon. | heavy woolen cloth for overcoats and hunting jackets |
mem. | 13th Hebrew letter |
momento mori. | a death's head; reminder of human failings |
Memnon. | Ethiopian king killed by Achilles, and immortalized by Zeus |
Memsahib. | lady sahib (ma'am?) |
Menelaus. | Helen's husband and Agamemnon's brother |
menhir. | tall, upright megalith (monument) |
meninx. | membrane enclosing brain and spinal cord (meninges) |
menorrhagia. | abnormally heavy menses |
menstruum. | solvent used in extracting drugs |
mensural. | having notes of fixed rhythmic value |
mere. | body of water |
mere. | boundary |
merino. | sheep with fine wool |
meristem. | growing point at tip of stem, root, or branch |
meristic. | segmented (worms); abrupt evolutionary modification of # of body parts |
merle. | blackbird |
meroblastic. | undergoing partial cleavage (egg with large yolk) |
merocrine. | opposite of eccrine. Cells remain intact. |
meromyosin. | protein sub-units of myosin molecule |
Merope. | 7th (invisible) star of Pleides. Hid her face in shame after marrying mortal. |
meropia.. | partial blindness |
merryandrew. | buffoon |
merrybells. | bellwort |
merrythought. | wishbone |
mesalliance. | morganitic marriage (inferior social status) |
Mesdemoiselles. | plural of mademoiselle |
mesencephalon. | middle section of embryonic brain |
mesenchyme. | The embryonic tissue from which circulatory, lymphatic, skeletal, and connective tissue develop. |
mesentary. | peritoneal folds connecting intestines to dorsal abdominal wall |
mesenterium. | same thing. |
mesenteron. | mid-gut |
mesne. | intermediate, intervening |
mesne lord. | between overlord and vassals |
mesoglea. | gelatinous substance between ectoderm and endoderm in coelenterates and ctenophores. |
mesonephros. | becomes functioning kidney |
mesopause. | upper limit of atmosphere |
mesophyll. | soft leaf tissue between top and bottom epidermis |
mesophyte. | land plant in environment with moderate moisture |
mesosome. | convoluted invagination of cell wall in some bacteria |
mesosphere. | 20 to 50 miles |
mesothelium. | squamous cells lining peritoneum, pericardium, and pleura |
messuage. | house, outbuildings, and land. OFr.: mesnage. |
mestizo. | European/Indian man - Sp.: mestizo, (mixed). |
metacarpus. | between phalanges and carpus. Gr.: meta-, (beside, after). |
metagalaxy. | the universe |
metage. | official measurement of weight or contents (weighing station); fee for same |
metagenesis. | alternating gametophyte (sexual) and sporophyte (asexual) repro. cycles |
metagnathous. | beak in which tips of mandibles cross |
metalinguistics. | study of interrelationships between linguistics and cultural phenomena |
metamere. | homologous body parts (worms and lobsters) |
metanephrose. | embryonic kidney (3rd stage) |
metaphase. | chromosome are aligned along equator of mitotic spindle |
metaphrase. | word-for-word translation; subtle manipulation of wording |
metaphrast. | reformulates text - e.g., prose to verse |
metaplasia. | change from one form to another (ossification); from normal to abnormal |
metaplasm. | changing of a word by adding, subtracting, or transposing letters or syllables; inert material in the protoplasm of a cell, such as the yolk of an egg. |
metapsychology. | speculation on the origin, structure and function of the mind, and its relationship to objective reality |
metasomatism. | chemical and physical metamorphosis as a result of external interactions |
metatarsus. | between toes and tarsus |
metathesis. | transposition of letters, sounds, or syllables (old to modern English), or confusion of revelant with relevant; double chemical decomposition |
metathorax. | hindmost of three thoracic elements |
metazoan. | all animals more complex than a unicellular protozoan |
metempsychosis. | transmigration of souls |
metestrus. | in between periods of estrus |
metheglin. | mead (fermented honey and water) |
métis. | mixed Indian and French-Canadian |
metonic cycle. | 19-year cycle of phases of the moon |
metonymy. | "The pen is mightier than the sword" |
metope. | space between two triglyphs on Doric frieze |
metopic. | pertaining to the forehead |
mew. | cage for hawks; secret place; street with stables converted into apartments |
mew. | a sea gull |
mezereon. | shrub, fruit |
mezerium. | used for arthritis |
mazuzah. | small piece of parchment with Deut. 6:4-9 & 11:13-21, "Shaddai" on it, rolled up in a container and placed on Jewish doors as a sign that Jews live there. |
mezzo-piano. | moderately soft (mezzo-pianissimo) |
mezzo relievo. | sculptural relief. Modeled forms project halfway from background |
mezzotint. | light-and-shadow printing method; resulting prints |
micelle. | submicroscopic structural unit of protoplasm; colloidal droplet |
micronize. | reduce to a few microns in diameter |
micropyle. | micropore in ovum for spermatozoon; minute pollen opening in plant ovule. Gr.: pule, (gate). |
microvillus. | microscopic projections from surface of cell wall |
micturate. | urinate |
middle ear. | contains auditory ossicles (hammer, anvil, and stirrup) |
middie blouse. | sailor's collar |
Midrash. | Jewish commentaries on Hebrew literature |
milchig. | made from milk |
Milesian. | Irishman |
miliaria. | inflammation of sweat glands |
milium. | hard mass caused by blockage of a sebaceous gland |
milk fever. | occurs at beginning of lactation, caused by infection |
milk leg. | painful swelling of leg after childbirth (clotting, phlebitis) |
milk sickness. | from cows that have eaten snakeroot |
millboard. | book cover board |
millinary. | hats |
millepore. | reef-building hydrocorals |
millerite. | nickel sulfide |
miller's thumb. | fish |
milliard. | one billion |
milliary. | pertaining to ancient Roman mile (1,000 paces) |
millesimal. | thousandth |
milline. | one agate line one column wide with a million copies; cost thereof |
milo. | drought-resistant grain sorghum like millet |
milt. | fish sperm; the spleen |
Mimir. | giant who guarded the well of wisdom by Yggdrasil's roots |
mina. | Greek, Asiatic coin |
minatory. | menacing, threatening |
minacious. | threatening |
Minerva. | goddess of wisdom |
mingy. | small portion; mean and stingy |
minié ball. | conical rifle ball . Base expanded after being fired. Inventor: Minie |
minify. | to make smaller; minimize |
minim. | coin; insignificantly small portion; downward stroke in handwriting |
Minnan. | Taiwanese dialect |
minnesinger. | German troubadors, 100's to 1300's. |
Minorca. | domestic fowl |
Minorite. | Franciscan friar |
Minor prophets. | Amos through Malachi |
minster. | monastery; large cathedral (Westminster Abbey) |
miosis, myosis. | pupil of the eye |
miotic. | Agent that excessively contracts the pupil. Ant.: mydriasis |
mirabile dictu. | wonderful to relate |
mirky. | murky |
miscue. | billiards |
misericord. | relaxation of monastic rules; misericordia room; bracket in church against which a standing person can lean; narrow dagger delivering the coup de grace |
mishnah. | 1st section of Talmud containing early oral interpretations of the Scriptures; a paragraph from the Mishnah; the teachings of a noted authority on Jewish laws |
misjoinder. | improper joinder of different causes or parties to a lawsuit |
misology. | hatred of reason, argument, or enlightenment |
misoneism. | hates change or innovation |
misprision. | maladministration in public office; neglect in preventing or reporting crime |
misprize. | undervalue; disparage |
missa cantata. | High Mass |
missal. | prayer book |
missel thrush. | European thrush |
Mithras. | Persian god of light |
Mithridatism. | tolerance for poison by taking slowly increasing doses |
miticide. | mite-killer |
mitral valve. | regulates flow from auricle to ventricle |
mittimus. | writ instructing a jailer to hold a prisoner |
Mitzvah. | commandment of Jewish law; fulfillment of such a commandment |
mizzen. | sail set on mizzenmast |
mizzen mast. | third mast aft |
mizzle. | misty rain |
mizzle. | to make a sudden departure |
Mnemosyne. | goddess of memory, mother of the muses |
moa. | ostrich-like, extinct for over a century (New Zealand) |
mobcap. | large high cap trimmed with frills and ribbons worn by 18th, 19th C. women |
modality. | state of being modal; conformist; classification of propositions on the basis of whether they assert or deny the possibility, impossibility, contingency, or necessity of their content; method of therapy |
moderato. | slower than allegretto but faster than andante |
mediolus. | central, bony conical shaft of the cochlea |
mofette. | hornito from which volcanic gases escape |
mogul. | a small mound on a ski slope |
Mohigans. | like Mohicans |
Mohock. | young aristocrats who vandalized London in the early 1700's. |
Mohs scale. | of hardness |
mohur. | Indian gold coin |
moidure. | former Portuguese or Brazilian gold coin |
moil. | to toil, slave; to churn about; confusion turmoil ("in a moil") |
mojarra. | fish with mouths that stick out |
mole. | tumor in the uterus caused by abortive development of an ovum |
moleskin. | short, silky fur of a mole |
moll. | cocotte |
molly. | tropical fish |
Moloch. | Babylonian: children were sacrificed |
Momos. | god of blame and ridicule |
monachism. | monasticism |
monad. | Leibnitz: an impenetrable and indivisible substance forming the basis of reality; a flagellate protozoan |
monadelphous. | united by filaments into a single stamen |
monadnock. | a mountain or rocky mass that has resisted erosion and now stands alone |
monandry. | one husband at a time |
monarda. | Oswego tea |
monas. | a monad |
monaxon. | a straight spicule in sponges |
monazite. | rare earth ore |
Monagasque. | citizen of Monaco |
monestrous. | one estrus cycle per year |
moniliasis. | candidiasis |
moniliform. | Like string of beads. Lat.: monile, (necklace). |
Monoceros. | one-horned fish, like swordfish; unicorn; Southern constellation |
monochasium. | cyme with single main stem |
monochord. | sounding box with one string used to study musical tones |
monocline. | all strata inclined in one direction |
monoclinic. | three unequal crystal axes, two of which intersect obliquely and are perpendicular to the third |
monoclinous. | pistils and stamens in same flower |
monocoque. | fuselage is supportive structure |
monocracy. | autocracy |
monocyte. | large white blood corpuscle |
monodactyl. | only one claw on each extremity |
monogenesis. | all life is descended from one cell |
monogenetic. | asexual; arising from a common formation process (mountain range) |
monogenic. | having common origin, e.g., rocks; of or regulated by one gene or of a pair of allelic; producing offspring mostly of one sex |
monogenism. | mankind stemmed from a common pair of ancestors |
monogyny. | only one wife at a time |
monoicous. | having archegonia and antheridia on the same plant |
monomorphic. | having one form, e.g., crystal; having a basic structure unchanged |
monophthong. | tow written vowels representing a single sound: oo, oa |
monophytetic. | in a single phylum; descended from one stock or source |
monophysite. | Christ had but a single divine nature |
monoplegia. | paralysis of a single area |
monoploid. | haploid set of chromosomes |
monopodium. | trunk of conifer, giving off branches |
monoprotic. | only one hydrogen ion to donate in and acid/base reaction |
monopsony. | several vendors, one buyer |
monosepalous. | sepals fused |
monotreme. | egg-laying mammals of Australia and New Guinea: echidna and platypus |
monotrichous. | only one flagellum at one pole |
monotrophic. | monophagous |
mons. | protuberance like pubic bones |
Monseigneur. | French title of respect given to princes and prelates |
Monsignor. | prelate having rank of chamberlain. Given by Pope |
mons pubis. | male mons |
monstrance. | receptacle in which the host (Eucharist wafer) is held |
mons veria. | female mons |
montagnard. | Southern Viet Nam on Cambodian border |
montane. | growing in mountainous regions |
montan wax. | hard, white wax obtained from lignite |
monte. | card game involving bets |
montero. | huntsman's cap with side flaps |
montessori method. | instruction that stresses child's own initiative |
monticule. | secondary volcanic cone |
monzonite. | igneous rock of plagioclase and orthoclase |
moon blindness. | recurrent inflammation of horse's eye; night blindness |
moon-calf. | a fool from birth; a freak |
moon-seed. | vine |
moon shell. | gastropod having smooth spherical shell |
moonstone. | pearly translucent feldspar (gem) |
moony. | moonlit; dreamy |
moorhen. | a gallinule |
moorwort. | bog rosemary (asphodel) |
moot. | hypothetical; meeting of freemen of shire; to discuss or debate; arguable; to plead or argue; of no practical importance |
moquette. | heavy fabric used for upholstery; carpet with deep, tufted pile |
mora. | in verse, the unit of metrical time equal to the short syllable |
Moravian. | Czech |
mordacious. | biting, caustic, sarcastic |
mordant. | a reagent serving to etch or fix colors |
mordent. | melodic trill with note below |
moreen. | ribbed fabric with embossed finish for clothing or upholstery |
morello. | sour cherry |
morel. | edible mushroom |
moresque. | Moorish |
morganitic. | marriage between royalty and a commoner |
morganite. | rosy pink semi-precious gem |
Morgan le Fay. | King Arthur's enemy |
morgen. | Dutch/South African land measure = 2.116 acres |
morion. | crested metal helmet worn by soldiers in the 1500's and 1600's. |
morion. | smoky quartz: almost black |
morph. | an allomorph; a phoneme assumed to be an allomorph although its assignment to a particular morpheme has not been established |
morpheme. | a meaningful linguistic unit, such as man, or a word element such as ed in walked, that cannot be divided into smaller meaningful parts |
morphallxis. | The regeneration of a part by structural reorganization rather than the production of new cells - Gr.: morph, (form) + allaxis, (change). |
morphogenesis. | evolutionary development of the structure of an organism |
morphophonemics. | linguistic structure in terms of the phonological patterning of morphemes. |
morphology. | biological study of the form and structure of living organisms; the structure and form of an organism; geomorphology; study of word formation in a language, including inflection, derivation, and construction of compounds - morphe + logo, (word). |
morphosis. | the manner or order in which an organism or one of its parts changes |
morris. | English folk dance in which story is enacted by costumed dancers |
mort. | the note sounded on a hunting horn when an animal is killed |
mort. | a great number or quantity; dummy whist |
mortmain. | "dead hand", perpetual ownership of church lands; oppression of the past |
morula. | spherical embryonic mass of blastomeres before complete blastulation |
mosaicism. | tissues of genetically different types appear in same organism |
moschatel. | musky plant |
moshav. | Israeli cooperative settlement of small farms |
mosso. | with motion or animation |
mosstroopers. | 17th C. bog raiders |
mostaccioli. | pasta: short tubes with slanted ends |
mot. | incisive or witty remark |
motet. | polyphonic, based on sacred text and sung a capella |
Mother Carey's chicken. | petrel |
mot juste. | most exact or suitable word or expression |
motmot. | S.A. tropical birds with green and blue plumage |
motta. | copse or stand of trees on prairie |
mottled enamel. | fluoride-mottled tooth enamel |
mouillé. | To soften by soaking, to ret or macerate. |
moulage. | making a mold in criminal investigations |
moulin. | vertical shaft in glacier kept open by falling water (Moulin Rouge). |
moussaka. | Greek: layers of sliced beef and sliced eggplant topped w. cheese sauce |
mousse. | jello with whipped cream; meat or fish with whipped cream |
Mousterian. | followed Acheulian |
mouthbreeder. | fish that carry eggs and young in their mouths |
moutonnée. | rounded by glacial action to a shape like a sheep's back |
Mozareb. | Spanish Christians who retained their religion under Moslems |
mozetta. | short hooded cape worn by bishops |
mozo. | helps with pack train or is porter |
Mr. Charlie.. | honky |
Mrs. Grundy. | extremely conventional or priggish woman |
mucin. | produced by mucous membranes |
mucoids. | like mucin. Found in connective tissue |
mucopolysaccharide. | hydrophilic polysaccharides that produce lubricating, mucilaginous |
mucoprotein. | |
mucopurulent. | mucous and pus |
mucro. | a sharp tip of some plant and animal organs |
mudra. | body postures and hand movements with which a dancer enacts a narrative |
mudstone. | stone turns to mud when wet |
mufti. | judge interpreting Islamic law |
mukluk. | soft Eskimo boot |
mulct. | fine |
muleta. | red cape on staff used by matador - Lat.: mule, (she-mule). |
muley. | hornless |
muliebrity. | femininity |
mullein. | plant |
mulligattawny. | curry-flavored meat soup |
multifid. | having many clefts forming lobes -(bifida) multi + finere (to cleave). |
multifold. | manyfold |
multiparous. | having borne more than one child |
multiple allele. | a set of three or more alleles or alternative states of a gene which can be present in a somatic cell at one time |
multiversity. | major university |
multure. | fee paid for grinding grain at a mill - Lat.: molere, (to grind). |
mungo. | reclaimed wool of low quality |
muntjac. | small deer |
mure. | to immure |
murein. | a peptidoglycan found in cell walls |
murex. | gastropod yielding royal purple |
muricate. | roughened surface because of many short spines |
murphy. | a potato |
murraine. | pestilence or dire disease, e.g., anthrax |
murphy bed. | bed that folds into closet |
murre. | sea birds, temperate and arctic |
muscadet. | dry white wine |
muscadine. | woody vine with musky grape |
muscarine. | highly toxic compound found in mushrooms |
muscae volitantes. | motes caused by cell fragments |
muscat. | sweet white grapes used for raisins and wine (muscatel) |
muscovite. | mica; insulator |
Muse. | daughters of Mnemosyne and Zeus |
musette. | small French bagpipe with soft sound |
music of the spheres. | naudible music that Pythagoras thought was produced by planets |
musique concrête. | heterogeneous musical sounds randomly modified and arranged |
musksquash. | muskrat |
Musselman. | Moslem |
must. | fermenting juice from, e.g., grapes |
musteline. | pertaining to the badger, mink, otter, and weasel |
mutatis mutandis. | the necessary changes have been made |
mutchkin.. | 0.9 cents |
mycelium.. | A vegetative part of a fungus consisting of a mass of branching threadlike filaments called hyphae. Lat.: huphe, (web). |
mycenean. | Aegean from 1400 B. C. to 1150 B. C. |
mycetoma. | chronic fungus infection leading to nodules that discharge oily pus |
mycetozoan. | slime mold |
mycorrhiza. | Symbiotic association of mycelium of fungus with the roots of conifers, beeches, orchids. |
mydriasis. | Prolonged dilation of the pupil of the eye. |
mydriatic. | belladonna.. dilates pupils |
myelitis. | inflammation of spinal column or bone marrow |
myeloma. | malignant tumor of the bone marrow |
mylasis. | infestation of human tissue by fly maggots or flies - Gr.: mua, (fly). |
mylonite. | fine-grained rock layers formed by shifting of rock layers - Gr.: mulon, (mill). |
myocardium. | heart muscle |
myology. | scientific study of muscles |
myoma. | a muscle tumor |
myope. | myopic - Lat.: mulops, (myopia). |
myosin. | muscle protein. With actin, it forms myosoactin |
myosotis. | forget-me-not |
myotonia. | muscle spasm |
myrmecophile. | organism that shares an ant colony (aphid?) (inquiline). |
Myrmidon. | followed Achilles against Troy |
myrobatan. | Indian almond - Gr.: muron, (perfume) + batanos, (fruit shaped like an acorn). |
mysophilia. | pathological interest in excreta Gr.: musos, (filth). |
mysophobia. | pathological fear of contamination |
mystagogue. | one who prepared initiates for initiation into a mystery cult; anagoge |
mysticate. | whales w. symmetrical skulls, paired blowholes, whalebone for teeth - Lat.: mysticutus < Gr.: ho mus to ketos, (the whale called "the mouse"). |
mythomania. | compulsion to embroider the truth |
mythopoeic. | myth-making - Gr.: poien, (to make) + muthos, (story). |
myxedema. | decreased thyroid activity, swelling around lips & nose, mental deterioration. |
myxoma. | A benign tumor consisting of mucus + connective tissue - Gr.: muxa, (mucus) + soma |
myxocyte. | large cell found in mucous tissue |
myxomatosis. | growth of many myxomas (connective tissue with mucous elements) highly infectious, usually fatal disease of rabbits with similar tumors |
myxomycete. | slime mold |
myxocyte. | large cell found in mucous tissue |
myxomatosis. | growth of many myxomas (connective tissue with mucous elements) highly infectious, usually fatal disease of rabbits with similar tumors |
myxomycete. | slime mold |