M

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.
nameless adj. Having no fame or reputation.
naphtha n. A light, colorless, volatile, inflammable oil used as a solvent, as in manufacture of paints.