M
All words starting with letter [M]. : Freevocabulary.com
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- macadamize
- v. To cover or pave, as a path or roadway, with small broken stone.
- machinery
- n. The parts of a machine or engine, taken collectively.
- machinist
- n. One who makes or repairs machines, or uses metal-working tools.
- macrocosm
- n. The whole of any sphere or department of nature or knowledge to which man is related.
- madden
- v. To inflame with passion.
- Madonna
- n. A painted or sculptured representation of the Virgin, usually with the infant Jesus.
- magician
- n. A sorcerer.
- magisterial
- adj. Having an air of authority.
- magistracy
- n. The office or dignity of a magistrate.
- magnanimous
- adj. Generous in treating or judging others.
- magnate
- n. A person of rank or importance.
- magnet
- n. A body possessing that peculiar form of polarity found in nature in the lodestone.
- magnetize
- v. To make a magnet of, permanently, or temporarily.
- magnificence
- n. The exhibition of greatness of action, character, intellect, wealth, or power.
- magnificent
- adj. Grand or majestic in appearance, quality, or action.
- magnitude
- n. Importance.
- maharaja
- n. A great Hindu prince.
- maidenhood
- n. Virginity.
- maintain
- v. To hold or preserve in any particular state or condition.
- maintenance
- n. That which supports or sustains.
- maize
- n. Indian corn: usually in the United States called simply corn.
- makeup
- n. The arrangements or combination of the parts of which anything is composed.
- malady
- n. Any physical disease or disorder, especially a chronic or deep-seated one.
- malaria
- n. A fever characterized by alternating chills, fever, and sweating.
- malcontent
- n. One who is dissatisfied with the existing state of affairs.
- malediction
- n. The calling down of a curse or curses.
- malefactor
- n. One who injures another.
- maleficent
- adj. Mischievous.
- malevolence
- n. Ill will.
- malevolent
- adj. Wishing evil to others.
- malign
- v. To speak evil of, especially to do so falsely and severely.
- malignant
- adj. Evil in nature or tending to do great harm or mischief.
- malleable
- adj. Pliant.
- mallet
- n. A wooden hammer.
- maltreat
- v. To treat ill, unkindly, roughly, or abusively.
- man-trap
- n. A place or structure dangerous to human life.
- mandate
- n. A command.
- mandatory
- adj. Expressive of positive command, as distinguished from merely directory.
- mane
- n. The long hair growing upon and about the neck of certain animals, as the horse and the lion.
- man-eater
- n. An animal that devours human beings.
- maneuver
- v. To make adroit or artful moves: manage affairs by strategy.
- mania
- n. Insanity.
- maniac
- n. a person raving with madness.
- manifesto
- n. A public declaration, making announcement, explanation or defense of intentions, or motives.
- manlike
- adj. Like a man.
- manliness
- n. The qualities characteristic of a true man, as bravery, resolution, etc.
- mannerism
- n. Constant or excessive adherence to one manner, style, or peculiarity, as of action or conduct.
- manor
- n. The landed estate of a lord or nobleman.
- mantel
- n. The facing, sometimes richly ornamented, about a fireplace, including the usual shelf above it.
- mantle
- n. A cloak.
- manufacturer
- n. A person engaged in manufacturing as a business.
- manumission
- n. Emancipation.
- manumit
- v. To set free from bondage.
- marine
- adj. Of or pertaining to the sea or matters connected with the sea.
- maritime
- adj. Situated on or near the sea.
- maroon
- v. To put ashore and abandon (a person) on a desolate coast or island.
- martial
- adj. Pertaining to war or military operations.
- Martian
- adj. Pertaining to Mars, either the Roman god of war or the planet.
- martyrdom
- n. Submission to death or persecution for the sake of faith or principle.
- marvel
- v. To be astonished and perplexed because of (something).
- masonry
- n. The art or work of constructing, as buildings, walls, etc., with regularly arranged stones.
- masquerade
- n. A social party composed of persons masked and costumed so as to be disguised.
- massacre
- n. The unnecessary and indiscriminate killing of human beings.
- massive
- adj. Of considerable bulk and weight.
- masterpiece
- n. A superior production.
- mastery
- n. The attainment of superior skill.
- material
- n. That of which anything is composed or may be constructed.
- materialize
- v. To take perceptible or substantial form.
- maternal
- adj. Pertaining or peculiar to a mother or to motherhood.
- matinee
- n. An entertainment (especially theatrical) held in the daytime.
- matricide
- n. The killing, especially the murdering, of one's mother.
- matrimony
- n. The union of a man and a woman in marriage.
- matrix
- n. That which contains and gives shape or form to anything.
- matter of fact
- n. Something that has actual and undeniable existence or reality.
- maudlin
- adj. Foolishly and tearfully affectionate.
- mausoleum
- n. A tomb of more than ordinary size or architectural pretensions.
- mawkish
- adj. Sickening or insipid.
- maxim
- n. A principle accepted as true and acted on as a rule or guide.
- maze
- n. A labyrinth.
- mead
- n. A meadow.
- meager
- adj. scanty.
- mealy-mouthed
- adj. Afraid to express facts or opinions plainly.
- meander
- v. To wind and turn while proceeding in a course.
- mechanics
- n. The branch of physics that treats the phenomena caused by the action of forces.
- medallion
- n. A large medal.
- meddlesome
- adj. Interfering.
- medial
- adj. Of or pertaining to the middle.
- mediate
- v. To effect by negotiating as an agent between parties.
- medicine
- n. A substance possessing or reputed to possess curative or remedial properties.
- medieval
- adj. Belonging or relating to or descriptive of the middle ages.
- mediocre
- adj. Ordinary.
- meditation
- n. The turning or revolving of a subject in the mind.
- medley
- n. A composition of different songs or parts of songs arranged to run as a continuous whole.
- meliorate
- v. To make better or improve, as in quality or social or physical condition.
- mellifluous
- adj. Sweetly or smoothly flowing.
- melodious
- adj. Characterized by a sweet succession of sounds.
- melodrama
- n. A drama with a romantic story or plot and sensational situation and incidents.
- memento
- n. A souvenir.
- memorable
- adj. Noteworthy.
- menace
- n. A threat.
- menagerie
- n. A collection of wild animals, especially when kept for exhibition.
- mendacious
- adj. Untrue.
- mendicant
- n. A beggar.
- mentality
- n. Intellectuality.
- mentor
- n. A wise and faithful teacher, guide, and friend.
- mercantile
- adj. Conducted or acting on business principles; commercial.
- mercenary
- adj. Greedy
- merciful
- adj. Disposed to pity and forgive.
- merciless
- adj. Cruel.
- meretricious
- adj. Alluring by false or gaudy show.
- mesmerize
- v. To hypnotize.
- messieurs
- n. pl. Gentlemen.
- metal
- n. An element that forms a base by combining with oxygen, is usually hard, heavy, and lustrous.
- metallurgy
- n. The art or science of extracting a metal from ores, as by smelting.
- metamorphosis
- n. A passing from one form or shape into another.
- metaphor
- n. A figure of speech in which one object is likened to another, by speaking as if the other.
- metaphysical
- adj. Philosophical.
- metaphysician
- n. One skilled in metaphysics.
- metaphysics
- n. The principles of philosophy as applied to explain the methods of any particular science.
- mete
- v. To apportion.
- metempsychosis
- n. Transition of the soul of a human being at death into another body, whether human or beast.
- meticulous
- adj. Over-cautious.
- metonymy
- n. A figure of speech that consists in the naming of a thing by one of its attributes.
- metric
- adj. Relating to measurement.
- metronome
- n. An instrument for indicating and marking exact time in music.
- metropolis
- n. A chief city, either the capital or the largest or most important city of a state.
- metropolitan
- adj. Pertaining to a chief city.
- mettle
- n. Courage.
- mettlesome
- adj. Having courage or spirit.
- microcosm
- n. The world or universe on a small scale.
- micrometer
- n. An instrument for measuring very small angles or dimensions.
- microphone
- n. An apparatus for magnifying faint sounds.
- microscope
- n. An instrument for assisting the eye in the vision of minute objects or features of objects.
- microscopic
- adj. Adapted to or characterized by minute observation.
- microscopy
- n. The art of examing objects with the microscope.
- midsummer
- n. The middle of the summer.
- midwife
- n. A woman who makes a business of assisting at childbirth.
- mien
- n. The external appearance or manner of a person.
- migrant
- adj. Wandering.
- migrate
- v. To remove or pass from one country, region, or habitat to another.
- migratory
- adj. Wandering.
- mileage
- n. A distance in miles.
- militant
- adj. Of a warlike or combative disposition or tendency.
- militarism
- n. A policy of maintaining great standing armies.
- militate
- v. To have weight or influence (in determining a question).
- militia
- n. Those citizens, collectively, who are enrolled and drilled in temporary military organizations.
- Milky Way
- n. The galaxy.
- millet
- n. A grass cultivated for forage and cereal.
- mimic
- v. To imitate the speech or actions of.
- miniature
- adj. Much smaller than reality or that the normal size.
- minimize
- v. To reduce to the smallest possible amount or degree.
- minion
- n. A servile favorite.
- ministration
- n. Any religious ceremonial.
- ministry
- n. A service.
- minority
- n. The smaller in number of two portions into which a number or a group is divided.
- minute
- adj. Exceedingly small in extent or quantity.
- minutia
- n. A small or unimportant particular or detail.
- mirage
- n. An optical effect looking like a sheet of water in the desert.
- misadventure
- n. An unlucky accident.
- misanthropic
- adj. Hating mankind.
- misanthropy
- n. Hatred of mankind.
- misapprehend
- v. To misunderstand.
- misbehave
- v. To behave ill.
- misbehavior
- n. Ill or improper behavior.
- mischievous
- adj. Fond of tricks.
- miscount
- v. To make a mistake in counting.
- miscreant
- n. A villain.
- misdeed
- n. A wrong or improper act.
- misdemeanor
- n. Evil conduct, small crime.
- miser
- n. A person given to saving and hoarding unduly.
- mishap
- n. Misfortune.
- misinterpret
- v. To misunderstand.
- mislay
- v. To misplace.
- mismanage
- v. To manage badly, improperly, or unskillfully.
- misnomer
- n. A name wrongly or mistakenly applied.
- misogamy
- n. Hatred of marriage.
- misogyny
- n. Hatred of women.
- misplace
- v. To put into a wrong place.
- misrepresent
- v. To give a wrong impression.
- misrule
- v. To misgovern.
- missal
- n. The book containing the service for the celebration of mass.
- missile
- n. Any object, especially a weapon, thrown or intended to be thrown.
- missive
- n. A message in writing.
- mistrust
- v. To regard with suspicion or jealousy.
- misty
- adj. Lacking clearness
- misunderstand
- v. To Take in a wrong sense.
- misuse
- v. To maltreat.
- mite
- n. A very small amount, portion, or particle.
- miter
- n. The junction of two bodies at an equally divided angle.
- mitigate
- v. To make milder or more endurable.
- mnemonics
- n. A system of principles and formulas designed to assist the recollection in certain instances.
- moat
- n. A ditch on the outside of a fortress wall.
- mobocracy
- n. Lawless control of public affairs by the mob or populace.
- moccasin
- n. A foot-covering made of soft leather or buckskin.
- mockery
- n. Ridicule.
- moderation
- n. Temperance.
- moderator
- n. The presiding officer of a meeting.
- modernity
- n. The state or character of being modern.
- modernize
- v. To make characteristic of the present or of recent times.
- modification
- n. A change.
- modify
- v. To make somewhat different.
- modish
- adj. Fashionable.
- modulate
- v. To vary in tone, inflection, pitch or other quality of sound.
- mollify
- v. To soothe.
- molt
- v. To cast off, as hair, feathers, etc.
- momentary
- adj. Lasting but a short time.
- momentous
- adj. Very significant.
- momentum
- n. An impetus.
- monarchy
- n. Government by a single, sovereign ruler.
- monastery
- n. A dwelling-place occupied in common by persons under religious vows of seclusion.
- monetary
- adj. Financial.
- mongrel
- n. The progeny resulting from the crossing of different breeds or varieties.
- monition
- n. Friendly counsel given by way of warning and implying caution or reproof.
- monitory
- n. Admonition or warning.
- monocracy
- n. Government by a single person.
- monogamy
- n. The habit of pairing, or having but one mate.
- monogram
- n. A character consisting of two or more letters interwoven into one, usually initials of a name.
- monograph
- n. A treatise discussing a single subject or branch of a subject.
- monolith
- n. Any structure or sculpture in stone formed of a single piece.
- monologue
- n. A story or drama told or performed by one person.
- monomania
- n. The unreasonable pursuit of one idea.
- monopoly
- n. The control of a thing, as a commodity, to enable a person to raise its price.
- monosyllable
- n. A word of one syllable.
- monotone
- n. The sameness or monotony of utterance.
- monotonous
- adj. Unchanging and tedious.
- monotony
- n. A lack of variety.
- monsieur
- n. A French title of respect, equivalent to Mr. and sir.
- monstrosity
- n. Anything unnaturally huge or distorted.
- moonbeam
- n. A ray of moonlight.
- morale
- n. A state of mind with reference to confidence, courage, zeal, and the like.
- moralist
- n. A writer on ethics.
- morality
- n. Virtue.
- moralize
- v. To render virtuous.
- moratorium
- n. An emergency legislation authorizing a government suspend some action temporarily.
- morbid
- adj. Caused by or denoting a diseased or unsound condition of body or mind.
- mordacious
- adj. Biting or giving to biting.
- mordant
- adj. Biting.
- moribund
- adj. On the point of dying.
- morose
- adj. Gloomy.
- morphology
- n. the science of organic forms.
- motley
- adj. Composed of heterogeneous or inharmonious elements.
- motto
- n. An expressive word or pithy sentence enunciating some guiding rule of life, or faith.
- mountaineer
- n. One who travels among or climbs mountains for pleasure or exercise.
- mountainous
- adj. Full of or abounding in mountains.
- mouthful
- n. As much as can be or is usually put into the or exercise.
- muddle
- v. To confuse or becloud, especially with or as with drink.
- muffle
- v. To deaden the sound of, as by wraps.
- mulatto
- n. The offspring of a white person and a black person.
- muleteer
- n. A mule-driver.
- multiform
- adj. Having many shapes, or appearances.
- multiplicity
- n. the condition of being manifold or very various.
- mundane
- adj. Worldly, as opposed to spiritual or celestial.
- municipal
- adj. Of or pertaining to a town or city, or to its corporate or local government.
- municipality
- n. A district enjoying municipal government.
- munificence
- n. A giving characterized by generous motives and extraordinary liberality.
- munificent
- adj. Extraordinarily generous.
- muster
- n. An assemblage or review of troops for parade or inspection, or for numbering off.
- mutation
- n. The act or process of change.
- mutilate
- v. To disfigure.
- mutiny
- n. Rebellion against lawful or constituted authority.
- myriad
- n. A vast indefinite number.
- mystic
- n. One who professes direct divine illumination, or relies upon meditation to acquire truth.
- mystification
- n. The act of artfully perplexing.
- myth
- n. A fictitious narrative presented as historical, but without any basis of fact.
- mythology
- n. The whole body of legends cherished by a race concerning gods and heroes.