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 |