5 letter word starting with m

by
Words Parts of Speech Meaning/Definition/Similar Words
ma’am noun Madam; my lady; — a colloquial contraction of madam often used in direct address, and sometimes as an appellation.
mabby noun A spirituous liquor or drink distilled from potatoes; — used in the Barbadoes.
macao noun A macaw.
macaw noun Any parrot of the genus Sittace, or Macrocercus. About eighteen species are known, all of them American. They are large and have a very long tail, a strong hooked bill, and a naked space around the eyes. The voice is harsh, and the colors are brilliant and strongly contrasted.
macco noun A gambling game in vogue in the eighteenth century.
macer noun A mace bearer; an officer of a court.
macho noun The striped mullet of California (Mugil cephalus, / Mexicanus).
macle noun Chiastolite; — so called from the tessellated appearance of a cross section. See Chiastolite., A crystal having a similar tessellated appearance., A twin crystal.
madam noun A gentlewoman; — an appellation or courteous form of address given to a lady, especially an elderly or a married lady; — much used in the address, at the beginning of a letter, to a woman. The corresponding word in addressing a man is Sir.
madge noun The barn owl., The magpie.
madia noun A genus of composite plants, of which one species (Madia sativa) is cultivated for the oil yielded from its seeds by pressure. This oil is sometimes used instead of olive oil for the table.
madid adjective Wet; moist; as, a madid eye.
madly adjective In a mad manner; without reason or understanding; wildly.
magic adjective A comprehensive name for all of the pretended arts which claim to produce effects by the assistance of supernatural beings, or departed spirits, or by a mastery of secret forces in nature attained by a study of occult science, including enchantment, conjuration, witchcraft, sorcery, necromancy, incantation, etc., Alt. of Magical
magma noun Any crude mixture of mineral or organic matters in the state of a thin paste., A thick residuum obtained from certain substances after the fluid parts are expressed from them; the grounds which remain after treating a substance with any menstruum, as water or alcohol., A salve or confection of thick consistency., The molten matter within the earth, the source of the material of lava flows, dikes of eruptive rocks, etc., The glassy base of an eruptive rock., The amorphous or homogenous matrix or ground mass, as distinguished from well-defined crystals; as, the magma of porphyry.
magot noun The Barbary ape.
mahdi noun Among Mohammedans, the last imam or leader of the faithful. The Sunni, the largest sect of the Mohammedans, believe that he is yet to appear.
mahoe noun A name given to several malvaceous trees (species of Hibiscus, Ochroma, etc.), and to their strong fibrous inner bark, which is used for strings and cordage.
maian noun Any spider crab of the genus Maia, or family Maiadae.
maine noun One of the New England States.
mains noun The farm attached to a mansion house.
maize noun A large species of American grass of the genus Zea (Z. Mays), widely cultivated as a forage and food plant; Indian corn. Also, its seed, growing on cobs, and used as food for men animals.
major adjective Greater in number, quantity, or extent; as, the major part of the assembly; the major part of the revenue; the major part of the territory., Of greater dignity; more important., Of full legal age., Greater by a semitone, either in interval or in difference of pitch from another tone., An officer next in rank above a captain and next below a lieutenant colonel; the lowest field officer., A person of full age., That premise which contains the major term. It its the first proposition of a regular syllogism; as: No unholy person is qualified for happiness in heaven [the major]. Every man in his natural state is unholy [minor]. Therefore, no man in his natural state is qualified for happiness in heaven [conclusion or inference]., A mayor.
maked past participle Made.
maker noun One who makes, forms, or molds; a manufacturer; specifically, the Creator., The person who makes a promissory note., One who writes verses; a poet.
malar adjective Of or pertaining to the region of the cheek bone, or to the malar bone; jugal., The cheek bone, which forms a part of the lower edge of the orbit.
malax verb t. Alt. of Malaxate
malay noun One of a race of a brown or copper complexion in the Malay Peninsula and the western islands of the Indian Archipelago., Alt. of Malayan
male- See Mal-.
maleo noun A bird of Celebes (megacephalon maleo), allied to the brush turkey. It makes mounds in which to lay its eggs.
malet noun A little bag or budget.
malic adjective Pertaining to, or obtained from, apples; as, malic acid.
malma noun A spotted trout (Salvelinus malma), inhabiting Northern America, west of the Rocky Mountains; — called also Dolly Varden trout, bull trout, red-spotted trout, and golet.
malty adjective Consisting, or like, malt.
malum noun An evil. See Mala.
mamma noun Mother; — word of tenderness and familiarity., A glandular organ for secreting milk, characteristic of all mammals, but usually rudimentary in the male; a mammary gland; a breast; under; bag.
mammy noun A child’s name for mamma, mother.
manca noun See Mancus.
maned adjective Having a mane.
maneh noun A Hebrew weight for gold or silver, being one hundred shekels of gold and sixty shekels of silver.
manes noun pl. The benevolent spirits of the dead, especially of dead ancestors, regarded as family deities and protectors.
mange noun The scab or itch in cattle, dogs, and other beasts.
mango noun The fruit of the mango tree. It is rather larger than an apple, and of an ovoid shape. Some varieties are fleshy and luscious, and others tough and tasting of turpentine. The green fruit is pickled for market., A green muskmelon stuffed and pickled.
mangy superl. Infected with the mange; scabby.
mania noun Violent derangement of mind; madness; insanity. Cf. Delirium., Excessive or unreasonable desire; insane passion affecting one or many people; as, the tulip mania.
manid noun Any species of the genus Manis, or family Manidae.
manie noun Mania; insanity.
manis noun A genus of edentates, covered with large, hard, triangular scales, with sharp edges that overlap each other like tiles on a roof. They inhabit the warmest parts of Asia and Africa, and feed on ants. Called also Scaly anteater. See Pangolin.
manks adjective Of or pertaining to the language or people of the of Man., The language spoken in the Isle of Man. See Manx.
manly superl. Having qualities becoming to a man; not childish or womanish; manlike, esp. brave, courageous, resolute, noble., In a manly manner; with the courage and fortitude of a manly man; as, to act manly.
manna noun The food supplied to the Israelites in their journey through the wilderness of Arabia; hence, divinely supplied food., A name given to lichens of the genus Lecanora, sometimes blown into heaps in the deserts of Arabia and Africa, and gathered and used as food., A sweetish exudation in the form of pale yellow friable flakes, coming from several trees and shrubs and used in medicine as a gentle laxative, as the secretion of Fraxinus Ornus, and F. rotundifolia, the manna ashes of Southern Europe.
manor noun The land belonging to a lord or nobleman, or so much land as a lord or great personage kept in his own hands, for the use and subsistence of his family., A tract of land occupied by tenants who pay a free-farm rent to the proprietor, sometimes in kind, and sometimes by performing certain stipulated services.
manse noun A dwelling house, generally with land attached., The parsonage; a clergyman’s house.
manta noun See Coleoptera and Sea devil.
manto noun See Manteau.
manul noun A wild cat (Felis manul), having long, soft, light-colored fur. It is found in the mountains of Central Asia, and dwells among rocks.
manus plural of Manus, The distal segment of the fore limb, including the carpus and fore foot or hand.
maori noun One of the aboriginal inhabitants of New Zealand; also, the original language of New Zealand., Of or pertaining to the Maoris or to their language.
maple noun A tree of the genus Acer, including about fifty species. A. saccharinum is the rock maple, or sugar maple, from the sap of which sugar is made, in the United States, in great quantities, by evaporation; the red or swamp maple is A. rubrum; the silver maple, A. dasycarpum, having fruit wooly when young; the striped maple, A. Pennsylvanium, called also moosewood. The common maple of Europe is A. campestre, the sycamore maple is A. Pseudo-platanus, and the Norway maple is A. platanoides.
maqui noun A Chilian shrub (Aristotelia Maqui). Its bark furnishes strings for musical instruments, and a medicinal wine is made from its berries.
marai noun A sacred inclosure or temple; — so called by the islanders of the Pacific Ocean.
march noun The third month of the year, containing thirty-one days., A territorial border or frontier; a region adjacent to a boundary line; a confine; — used chiefly in the plural, and in English history applied especially to the border land on the frontiers between England and Scotland, and England and Wales., To border; to be contiguous; to lie side by side., To move with regular steps, as a soldier; to walk in a grave, deliberate, or stately manner; to advance steadily., To proceed by walking in a body or in military order; as, the German army marched into France., TO cause to move with regular steps in the manner of a soldier; to cause to move in military array, or in a body, as troops; to cause to advance in a steady, regular, or stately manner; to cause to go by peremptory command, or by force., The act of marching; a movement of soldiers from one stopping place to another; military progress; advance of troops., Hence: Measured and regular advance or movement, like that of soldiers moving in order; stately or deliberate walk; steady onward movement., The distance passed over in marching; as, an hour’s march; a march of twenty miles., A piece of music designed or fitted to accompany and guide the movement of troops; a piece of music in the march form.
marge noun Border; margin; edge; verge.
marie interj. Marry.
marly superl. Consisting or partaking of marl; resembling marl; abounding with marl.
marry verb t. To unite in wedlock or matrimony; to perform the ceremony of joining, as a man and a woman, for life; to constitute (a man and a woman) husband and wife according to the laws or customs of the place., To join according to law, (a man) to a woman as his wife, or (a woman) to a man as her husband. See the Note to def. 4., To dispose of in wedlock; to give away as wife., To take for husband or wife. See the Note below., Figuratively, to unite in the closest and most endearing relation., To enter into the conjugal or connubial state; to take a husband or a wife., Indeed ! in truth ! — a term of asseveration said to have been derived from the practice of swearing by the Virgin Mary.
marsh noun A tract of soft wet land, commonly covered partially or wholly with water; a fen; a swamp; a morass.
maser noun Same as Mazer.
mashy adjective Produced by crushing or bruising; resembling, or consisting of, a mash.
mason noun One whose occupation is to build with stone or brick; also, one who prepares stone for building purposes., A member of the fraternity of Freemasons. See Freemason., To build stonework or brickwork about, under, in, over, etc.; to construct by masons; — with a prepositional suffix; as, to mason up a well or terrace; to mason in a kettle or boiler.
masse noun Alt. of Masse shot
massy superl. Compacted into, or consisting of, a mass; having bulk and weight ot substance; ponderous; bulky and heavy; weight; heavy; as, a massy shield; a massy rock.
masty adjective Full of mast; abounding in acorns, etc.
match noun Anything used for catching and retaining or communicating fire, made of some substance which takes fire readily, or remains burning some time; esp., a small strip or splint of wood dipped at one end in a substance which can be easily ignited by friction, as a preparation of phosphorus or chlorate of potassium., A person or thing equal or similar to another; one able to mate or cope with another; an equal; a mate., A bringing together of two parties suited to one another, as for a union, a trial of skill or force, a contest, or the like, A contest to try strength or skill, or to determine superiority; an emulous struggle., A matrimonial union; a marriage., An agreement, compact, etc., A candidate for matrimony; one to be gained in marriage., Equality of conditions in contest or competition., Suitable combination or bringing together; that which corresponds or harmonizes with something else; as, the carpet and curtains are a match., A perforated board, block of plaster, hardened sand, etc., in which a pattern is partly imbedded when a mold is made, for giving shape to the surfaces of separation between the parts of the mold., To be a mate or match for; to be able to complete with; to rival successfully; to equal., To furnish with its match; to bring a match, or equal, against; to show an equal competitor to; to set something in competition with, or in opposition to, as equal., To oppose as equal; to contend successfully against., To make or procure the equal of, or that which is exactly similar to, or corresponds with; as, to match a vase or a horse; to match cloth., To make equal, proportionate, or suitable; to adapt, fit, or suit (one thing to another)., To marry; to give in marriage., To fit together, or make suitable for fitting together; specifically, to furnish with a tongue and a groove, at the edges; as, to match boards., To be united in marriage; to mate., To be of equal, or similar, size, figure, color, or quality; to tally; to suit; to correspond; as, these vases match.
mated imp. & past participle of Mate
mater noun See Alma mater, Dura mater, and Pia mater.
matie noun A fat herring with undeveloped roe.
m/tin noun A French mastiff.
matin noun Morning., Morning worship or service; morning prayers or songs., Time of morning service; the first canonical hour in the Roman Catholic Church., Of or pertaining to the morning, or to matins; used in the morning; matutinal.
matte noun A partly reduced copper sulphide, obtained by alternately roasting and melting copper ore in separating the metal from associated iron ores, and called coarse metal, fine metal, etc., according to the grade of fineness. On the exterior it is dark brown or black, but on a fresh surface is yellow or bronzy in color., A dead or dull finish, as in gilding where the gold leaf is not burnished, or in painting where the surface is purposely deprived of gloss.
maule noun The common mallow.
maund noun A hand basket., An East Indian weight, varying in different localities from 25 to about 82 pounds avoirdupois., Alt. of Maunder
mauve noun A color of a delicate purple, violet, or lilac.
mavis noun The European throstle or song thrush (Turdus musicus).
mawks noun A slattern; a mawk.
mawky adjective Maggoty.
maxim noun An established principle or proposition; a condensed proposition of important practical truth; an axiom of practical wisdom; an adage; a proverb; an aphorism., The longest note formerly used, equal to two longs, or four breves; a large.
might imp. of May, imp. of May., Force or power of any kind, whether of body or mind; energy or intensity of purpose, feeling, or action; means or resources to effect an object; strength; force; power; ability; capacity.
maybe adverb Perhaps; possibly; peradventure., Possible; probable, but not sure., Possibility; uncertainty.
mayor noun The chief magistrate of a city or borough; the chief officer of a municipal corporation. In some American cities there is a city court of which the major is chief judge.
mazed imp. & past participle of Maze
mazer noun A large drinking bowl; — originally made of maple.
meach verb i. To skulk; to cower. See Mich.
mealy superl. Having the qualities of meal; resembling meal; soft, dry, and friable; easily reduced to a condition resembling meal; as, a mealy potato., Overspread with something that resembles meal; as, the mealy wings of an insect.
meant imp. & past participle of Mean, imp. & p. p. of Mean.
mease noun Five hundred; as, a mease of herrings.
meath noun Alt. of Meathe
meaty adjective Abounding in meat.
meawl verb i. See Mewl, and Miaul.
medal noun A piece of metal in the form of a coin, struck with a device, and intended to preserve the remembrance of a notable event or an illustrious person, or to serve as a reward., To honor or reward with a medal.
media noun pl. of Medium., One of the sonant mutes /, /, / (b, d, g), in Greek, or of their equivalents in other languages, so named as intermediate between the tenues, /, /, / (p, t, k), and the aspiratae (aspirates) /, /, / (ph or f, th, ch). Also called middle mute, or medial, and sometimes soft mute., of Medium
medic noun A leguminous plant of the genus Medicago. The black medic is the Medicago lupulina; the purple medic, or lucern, is M. sativa., Medical.
medii plural of Medius
medle verb t. To mix; to mingle; to meddle.
medly verb t. See Medle.
medoc noun A class of claret wines, including several varieties, from the district of Medoc in the department of Gironde.
meech verb i. See Mich.
meeth noun Mead. See Meathe.
meine verb t. See Menge., Alt. of Meiny
meiny noun A family, including servants, etc.; household; retinue; train., Company; band; army.
melam noun A white or buff-colored granular powder, C6H9N11, obtained by heating ammonium sulphocyanate.
melee noun A fight in which the combatants are mingled in one confused mass; a hand to hand conflict; an affray.
melic Of or pertaining to song; lyric; tuneful.
melne noun A mill.
meloe A genus of beetles without wings, but having short oval elytra; the oil beetles. These beetles are sometimes used instead of cantharides for raising blisters. See Oil beetle, under Oil.
melon noun The juicy fruit of certain cucurbitaceous plants, as the muskmelon, watermelon, and citron melon; also, the plant that produces the fruit., A large, ornamental, marine, univalve shell of the genus Melo.
mends noun See Amends.
mente imp. of Menge
meint of Menge
menge verb i. To mix.
menow noun A minnow.
mense noun Manliness; dignity; comeliness; civility., To grace.
merce verb t. To subject to fine or amercement; to mulct; to amerce.
mercy noun Forbearance to inflict harm under circumstances of provocation, when one has the power to inflict it; compassionate treatment of an offender or adversary; clemency., Compassionate treatment of the unfortunate and helpless; sometimes, favor, beneficence., Disposition to exercise compassion or favor; pity; compassion; willingness to spare or to help., A blessing regarded as a manifestation of compassion or favor.
merge verb t. To cause to be swallowed up; to immerse; to sink; to absorb., To be sunk, swallowed up, or lost.
merit noun The quality or state of deserving well or ill; desert., Esp. in a good sense: The quality or state of deserving well; worth; excellence., Reward deserved; any mark or token of excellence or approbation; as, his teacher gave him ten merits., To earn by service or performance; to have a right to claim as reward; to deserve; sometimes, to deserve in a bad sense; as, to merit punishment., To reward., To acquire desert; to gain value; to receive benefit; to profit.
merke adjective Murky.
merle noun The European blackbird. See Blackbird.
meros noun The plain surface between the channels of a triglyph., The proximal segment of the hind limb; the thigh.
merou noun See Jack, 8 (c).
merry superl. Laughingly gay; overflowing with good humor and good spirits; jovial; inclined to laughter or play ; sportive., Cheerful; joyous; not sad; happy., Causing laughter, mirth, gladness, or delight; as, / merry jest., A kind of wild red cherry.
merus noun See Meros.
mesad adverb Same as Mesiad.
mesal adjective Same as Mesial.
mesel noun A leper.
meshy adjective Formed with meshes; netted.
mesne adjective Middle; intervening; as, a mesne lord, that is, a lord who holds land of a superior, but grants a part of it to another person, in which case he is a tenant to the superior, but lord or superior to the second grantee, and hence is called the mesne lord.
meso- Alt. of Mes-
meson noun The mesial plane dividing the body of an animal into similar right and left halves. The line in which it meets the dorsal surface has been called the dorsimeson, and the corresponding ventral edge the ventrimeson.
meta- Alt. of Met-
metal noun An elementary substance, as sodium, calcium, or copper, whose oxide or hydroxide has basic rather than acid properties, as contrasted with the nonmetals, or metalloids. No sharp line can be drawn between the metals and nonmetals, and certain elements partake of both acid and basic qualities, as chromium, manganese, bismuth, etc., Ore from which a metal is derived; — so called by miners., A mine from which ores are taken., The substance of which anything is made; material; hence, constitutional disposition; character; temper., Courage; spirit; mettle. See Mettle., The broken stone used in macadamizing roads and ballasting railroads., The effective power or caliber of guns carried by a vessel of war., Glass in a state of fusion., The rails of a railroad., To cover with metal; as, to metal a ship’s bottom; to metal a road.
mette imp. of Mete, imp. of Mete, to dream.
meted imp. & past participle of Mete
meter noun One who, or that which, metes or measures. See Coal-meter., An instrument for measuring, and usually for recording automatically, the quantity measured., A line above or below a hanging net, to which the net is attached in order to strengthen it., Alt. of Metre
metre noun Rhythmical arrangement of syllables or words into verses, stanzas, strophes, etc.; poetical measure, depending on number, quantity, and accent of syllables; rhythm; measure; verse; also, any specific rhythmical arrangements; as, the Horatian meters; a dactylic meter., A poem., A measure of length, equal to 39.37 English inches, the standard of linear measure in the metric system of weights and measures. It was intended to be, and is very nearly, the ten millionth part of the distance from the equator to the north pole, as ascertained by actual measurement of an arc of a meridian. See Metric system, under Metric., See Meter.
metic noun A sojourner; an immigrant; an alien resident in a Grecian city, but not a citizen.
metif noun f. Alt. of Metive
metis noun f. Alt. of Metisse
meute noun A cage for hawks; a mew. See 4th Mew, 1.
mewed imp. & past participle of Mew
mexal mexcal. Alt. of Mexical
mezzo adjective Mean; not extreme.
mhorr noun See Mohr.
miasm noun Miasma.
miaul verb i. To cry as a cat; to mew; to caterwaul., The crying of a cat.
miche verb i. To lie hid; to skulk; to act, or carry one’s self, sneakingly.
micr- A combining form, Small, little, trivial, slight; as, microcosm, microscope., A millionth part of; as, microfarad, microohm, micrometer.
midas noun A genus of longeared South American monkeys, including numerous species of marmosets. See Marmoset.
middy noun A colloquial abbreviation of midshipman.
midge noun Any one of many small, delicate, long-legged flies of the Chironomus, and allied genera, which do not bite. Their larvae are usually aquatic., A very small fly, abundant in many parts of the United States and Canada, noted for the irritating quality of its bite.
midst noun The interior or central part or place; the middle; — used chiefly in the objective case after in; as, in the midst of the forest., Hence, figuratively, the condition of being surrounded or beset; the press; the burden; as, in the midst of official duties; in the midst of secular affairs., In the midst of; amidst., In the middle.
milch adjective Giving milk; — now applied only to beasts., Tender; pitiful; weeping.
milky adjective Consisting of, or containing, milk., Like, or somewhat like, milk; whitish and turbid; as, the water is milky. “Milky juice.”, Yielding milk., Mild; tame; spiritless.
mimic adjective Alt. of Mimical, One who imitates or mimics, especially one who does so for sport; a copyist; a buffoon., To imitate or ape for sport; to ridicule by imitation., To assume a resemblance to (some other organism of a totally different nature, or some surrounding object), as a means of protection or advantage.
minae plural of Mina
minas plural of Mina
mince verb t. To cut into very small pieces; to chop fine; to hash; as, to mince meat., To suppress or weaken the force of; to extenuate; to palliate; to tell by degrees, instead of directly and frankly; to clip, as words or expressions; to utter half and keep back half of., To affect; to make a parade of., To walk with short steps; to walk in a prim, affected manner., To act or talk with affected nicety; to affect delicacy in manner., A short, precise step; an affected manner.
mined imp. & past participle of Mine
miner noun One who mines; a digger for metals, etc.; one engaged in the business of getting ore, coal, or precious stones, out of the earth; one who digs military mines; as, armies have sappers and miners., Any of numerous insects which, in the larval state, excavate galleries in the parenchyma of leaves. They are mostly minute moths and dipterous flies., The chattering, or garrulous, honey eater of Australia (Myzantha garrula).
minge verb t. To mingle; to mix., A small biting fly; a midge.
minim noun Anything very minute; as, the minims of existence; — applied to animalcula; and the like., The smallest liquid measure, equal to about one drop; the sixtieth part of a fluid drachm., A small fish; a minnow., A little man or being; a dwarf., One of an austere order of mendicant hermits of friars founded in the 15th century by St. Francis of Paola., A time note, formerly the shortest in use; a half note, equal to half a semibreve, or two quarter notes or crotchets., A short poetical encomium., Minute.
minny noun A minnow.
minor adjective Inferior in bulk, degree, importance, etc.; less; smaller; of little account; as, minor divisions of a body., Less by a semitone in interval or difference of pitch; as, a minor third., A person of either sex who has not attained the age at which full civil rights are accorded; an infant; in England and the United States, one under twenty-one years of age., The minor term, that is, the subject of the conclusion; also, the minor premise, that is, that premise which contains the minor term; in hypothetical syllogisms, the categorical premise. It is the second proposition of a regular syllogism, as in the following: Every act of injustice partakes of meanness; to take money from another by gaming is an act of injustice; therefore, the taking of money from another by gaming partakes of meanness., A Minorite; a Franciscan friar.
minos noun A king and lawgiver of Crete, fabled to be the son of Jupiter and Europa. After death he was made a judge in the Lower Regions.
minow noun See Minnow.
minum noun A small kind of printing type; minion., A minim.
minus adjective Less; requiring to be subtracted; negative; as, a minus quantity.
mired imp. & past participle of Mire
mirky adjective Dark; gloomy. See Murky.
mirth noun Merriment; gayety accompanied with laughter; jollity., That which causes merriment.
mirza noun The common title of honor in Persia, prefixed to the surname of an individual. When appended to the surname, it signifies Prince.
misdo verb To do wrongly., To do wrong to; to illtreat., To do wrong; to commit a fault.
miser noun A wretched person; a person afflicted by any great misfortune., A despicable person; a wretch., A covetous, grasping, mean person; esp., one having wealth, who lives miserably for the sake of saving and increasing his hoard., A kind of large earth auger.
misle verb i. To rain in very fine drops, like a thick mist; to mizzle., A fine rain; a thick mist; mizzle.
milen noun See Maslin.
misly adjective Raining in very small drops.
missa noun The service or sacrifice of the Mass.
missy noun See Misy., An affectionate, or contemptuous, form of miss; a young girl; a miss., Like a miss, or girl.
misty superl. Accompained with mist; characterized by the presence of mist; obscured by, or overspread with, mist; as, misty weather; misty mountains; a misty atmosphere., Obscured as if by mist; dim; obscure; clouded; as, misty sight.
miter noun Alt. of Mitre, Alt. of Mitre, Alt. of Mitre
mitre noun A covering for the head, worn on solemn occasions by church dignitaries. It has been made in many forms, the present form being a lofty cap with two points or peaks., The surface forming the beveled end or edge of a piece where a miter joint is made; also, a joint formed or a junction effected by two beveled ends or edges; a miter joint., A sort of base money or coin., To place a miter upon; to adorn with a miter., To match together, as two pieces of molding or brass rule on a line bisecting the angle of junction; to bevel the ends or edges of, for the purpose of matching together at an angle., To meet and match together, as two pieces of molding, on a line bisecting the angle of junction., See Miter.
mitty noun The stormy petrel.
mixed imp. & past participle of Mix, Formed by mixing; united; mingled; blended. See Mix, v. t. & i.
mixen noun A compost heap; a dunghill.
mixer noun One who, or that which, mixes.
mizzy noun A bog or quagmire.
moate verb i. To void the excrement, as a bird; to mute.
moble verb t. To wrap the head of in a hood.
mocha noun A seaport town of Arabia, on the Red Sea., A variety of coffee brought from Mocha., An Abyssinian weight, equivalent to a Troy grain.
moche noun A bale of raw silk., Much.
modal adjective Of or pertaining to a mode or mood; consisting in mode or form only; relating to form; having the form without the essence or reality., Indicating, or pertaining to, some mode of conceiving existence, or of expressing thought.
model noun A miniature representation of a thing, with the several parts in due proportion; sometimes, a facsimile of the same size., Something intended to serve, or that may serve, as a pattern of something to be made; a material representation or embodiment of an ideal; sometimes, a drawing; a plan; as, the clay model of a sculpture; the inventor’s model of a machine., Anything which serves, or may serve, as an example for imitation; as, a government formed on the model of the American constitution; a model of eloquence, virtue, or behavior., That by which a thing is to be measured; standard., Any copy, or resemblance, more or less exact., A person who poses as a pattern to an artist., Suitable to be taken as a model or pattern; as, a model house; a model husband., To plan or form after a pattern; to form in model; to form a model or pattern for; to shape; to mold; to fashion; as, to model a house or a government; to model an edifice according to the plan delineated., To make a copy or a pattern; to design or imitate forms; as, to model in wax.
moder noun A mother., The principal piece of an astrolabe, into which the others are fixed., To moderate.
modii plural of Modius
modus noun The arrangement of, or mode of expressing, the terms of a contract or conveyance., A qualification involving the idea of variation or departure from some general rule or form, in the way of either restriction or enlargement, according to the circumstances of the case, as in the will of a donor, an agreement between parties, and the like., A fixed compensation or equivalent given instead of payment of tithes in kind, expressed in full by the phrase modus decimandi.
moeve verb t. & i. To move.
mogul noun A person of the Mongolian race., A heavy locomotive for freight traffic, having three pairs of connected driving wheels and a two-wheeled truck.
mohur noun A British Indian gold coin, of the value of fifteen silver rupees, or $7.21.
moile noun A kind of high shoe anciently worn.
moira noun The deity who assigns to every man his lot.
moire noun Originally, a fine textile fabric made of the hair of an Asiatic goat; afterwards, any textile fabric to which a watered appearance is given in the process of calendering., A watered, clouded, or frosted appearance produced upon either textile fabrics or metallic surfaces.
moist adjective Moderately wet; damp; humid; not dry; as, a moist atmosphere or air., Fresh, or new., To moisten.
molar adjective Of or pertaining to a mass of matter; — said of the properties or motions of masses, as distinguished from those of molecules or atoms., Having power to grind; grinding; as, the molar teeth; also, of or pertaining to the molar teeth., Any one of the teeth back of the incisors and canines. The molar which replace the deciduous or milk teeth are designated as premolars, and those which are not preceded by deciduous teeth are sometimes called true molars. See Tooth.
mould verb Crumbling, soft, friable earth; esp., earth containing the remains or constituents of organic matter, and suited to the growth of plants; soil., Earthy material; the matter of which anything is formed; composing substance; material., To cover with mold or soil., A growth of minute fungi of various kinds, esp. those of the great groups Hyphomycetes, and Physomycetes, forming on damp or decaying organic matter., To cause to become moldy; to cause mold to grow upon., To become moldy; to be covered or filled, in whole or in part, with a mold., The matrix, or cavity, in which anything is shaped, and from which it takes its form; also, the body or mass containing the cavity; as, a sand mold; a jelly mold., That on which, or in accordance with which, anything is modeled or formed; anything which serves to regulate the size, form, etc., as the pattern or templet used by a shipbuilder, carpenter, or mason., Cast; form; shape; character., A group of moldings; as, the arch mold of a porch or doorway; the pier mold of a Gothic pier, meaning the whole profile, section, or combination of parts., A fontanel., A frame with a wire cloth bottom, on which the pump is drained to form a sheet, in making paper by hand., To form into a particular shape; to shape; to model; to fashion., To ornament by molding or carving the material of; as, a molded window jamb., To knead; as, to mold dough or bread., To form a mold of, as in sand, in which a casting may be made., Alt. of Mouldy
moldy superl. Alt. of Mouldy
moled imp. & past participle of Mole
molle adjective Lower by a semitone; flat; as, E molle, that is, E flat.
molly noun Same as Mollemoke., A pet or colloquial name for Mary.
moult verb t. To shed or cast the hair, feathers, skin, horns, or the like, as an animal or a bird., To cast, as the hair, skin, feathers, or the like; to shed., The act or process of changing the feathers, hair, skin, etc.; molting., See Molt.
molto adverb Much; very; as, molto adagio, very slow.
momot noun See Motmot.
momus noun The god of mockery and censure.
monad noun An ultimate atom, or simple, unextended point; something ultimate and indivisible., The elementary and indestructible units which were conceived of as endowed with the power to produce all the changes they undergo, and thus determine all physical and spiritual phenomena., One of the smallest flangellate Infusoria; esp., the species of the genus Monas, and allied genera., A simple, minute organism; a primary cell, germ, or plastid., An atom or radical whose valence is one, or which can combine with, be replaced by, or exchanged for, one atom of hydrogen.
monal noun Any Asiatic pheasant of the genus Lophophorus, as the Impeyan pheasant.
monas noun A genus of minute flagellate Infusoria of which there are many species, both free and attached. See Illust. under Monad.
monde noun The world; a globe as an ensign of royalty.
moner noun One of the Monera.
money noun A piece of metal, as gold, silver, copper, etc., coined, or stamped, and issued by the sovereign authority as a medium of exchange in financial transactions between citizens and with government; also, any number of such pieces; coin., Any written or stamped promise, certificate, or order, as a government note, a bank note, a certificate of deposit, etc., which is payable in standard coined money and is lawfully current in lieu of it; in a comprehensive sense, any currency usually and lawfully employed in buying and selling., In general, wealth; property; as, he has much money in land, or in stocks; to make, or lose, money., To supply with money.
mono- Alt. of Mon-
monte noun A favorite gambling game among Spaniards, played with dice or cards.
month noun One of the twelve portions into which the year is divided; the twelfth part of a year, corresponding nearly to the length of a synodic revolution of the moon, — whence the name. In popular use, a period of four weeks is often called a month.
mooed imp. & past participle of Moo
moody superl. Subject to varying moods, especially to states of mind which are unamiable or depressed., Hence: Out of humor; peevish; angry; fretful; also, abstracted and pensive; sad; gloomy; melancholy.
moong noun Same as Mung.
moony adjective Of or pertaining to the moon., Furnished with a moon; bearing a crescent., Silly; weakly sentimental.
moory adjective Of or pertaining to moors; marshy; fenny; boggy; moorish., A kind of blue cloth made in India.
moose noun A large cervine mammal (Alces machlis, or A. Americanus), native of the Northern United States and Canada. The adult male is about as large as a horse, and has very large, palmate antlers. It closely resembles the European elk, and by many zoologists is considered the same species. See Elk.
moped imp. & past participle of Mope
mopsy noun A moppet., A slatternly, untidy woman.
mopus noun A mope; a drone.
moral adjective Relating to duty or obligation; pertaining to those intentions and actions of which right and wrong, virtue and vice, are predicated, or to the rules by which such intentions and actions ought to be directed; relating to the practice, manners, or conduct of men as social beings in relation to each other, as respects right and wrong, so far as they are properly subject to rules., Conformed to accepted rules of right; acting in conformity with such rules; virtuous; just; as, a moral man. Used sometimes in distinction from religious; as, a moral rather than a religious life., Capable of right and wrong action or of being governed by a sense of right; subject to the law of duty., Acting upon or through one’s moral nature or sense of right, or suited to act in such a manner; as, a moral arguments; moral considerations. Sometimes opposed to material and physical; as, moral pressure or support., Supported by reason or probability; practically sufficient; — opposed to legal or demonstrable; as, a moral evidence; a moral certainty., Serving to teach or convey a moral; as, a moral lesson; moral tales., The doctrine or practice of the duties of life; manner of living as regards right and wrong; conduct; behavior; — usually in the plural., The inner meaning or significance of a fable, a narrative, an occurrence, an experience, etc.; the practical lesson which anything is designed or fitted to teach; the doctrine meant to be inculcated by a fiction; a maxim., A morality play. See Morality, 5., To moralize.
moray noun A muraena.
morel noun An edible fungus (Morchella esculenta), the upper part of which is covered with a reticulated and pitted hymenium. It is used as food, and for flavoring sauces., Nightshade; — so called from its blackish purple berries., A kind of cherry. See Morello.
moria noun Idiocy; imbecility; fatuity; foolishness.
moric adjective Pertaining to, or derived from, fustic (see Morin); as, moric acid.
moril noun An edible fungus. Same as 1st Morel.
morin noun A yellow crystalline substance of acid properties extracted from fustic (Maclura tinctoria, formerly called Morus tinctoria); — called also moric acid.
mormo noun A bugbear; false terror.
morne adjective Of or pertaining to the morn; morning., A ring fitted upon the head of a lance to prevent wounding an adversary in tilting., Without teeth, tongue, or claws; — said of a lion represented heraldically., The first or early part of the day, variously understood as the earliest hours of light, the time near sunrise; the time from midnight to noon, from rising to noon, etc., The first or early part; as, the morning of life., The goddess Aurora.
morse noun The walrus. See Walrus., A clasp for fastening garments in front.
morus noun A genus of trees, some species of which produce edible fruit; the mulberry. See Mulberry.
morwe noun See Morrow.
mosel noun & verb See Muzzle.
moses noun A large flatboat, used in the West Indies for taking freight from shore to ship.
mossy superl. Overgrown with moss; abounding with or edged with moss; as, mossy trees; mossy streams., Resembling moss; as, mossy green.
moste imp. of Mote., of Mot
moote of Mot
moted adjective Filled with motes, or fine floating dust; as, the air.
motet noun A composition adapted to sacred words in the elaborate polyphonic church style; an anthem.
moths plural of Moth
mothy adjective Infested with moths; moth-eaten.
motif noun Motive.
moton noun A small plate covering the armpit in armor of the 14th century and later.
motor noun One who, or that which, imparts motion; a source of mechanical power., A prime mover; a machine by means of which a source of power, as steam, moving water, electricity, etc., is made available for doing mechanical work., Alt. of Motorial
motte noun A clump of trees in a prairie.
motto noun A sentence, phrase, or word, forming part of an heraldic achievment., A sentence, phrase, or word, prefixed to an essay, discourse, chapter, canto, or the like, suggestive of its subject matter; a short, suggestive expression of a guiding principle; a maxim.
motty adjective Full of, or consisting of, motes.
moule verb i. To contract mold; to grow moldy; to mold.
mound noun A ball or globe forming part of the regalia of an emperor or other sovereign. It is encircled with bands, enriched with precious stones, and surmounted with a cross; — called also globe., An artificial hill or elevation of earth; a raised bank; an embarkment thrown up for defense; a bulwark; a rampart; also, a natural elevation appearing as if thrown up artificially; a regular and isolated hill, hillock, or knoll., To fortify or inclose with a mound.
mount verb A mass of earth, or earth and rock, rising considerably above the common surface of the surrounding land; a mountain; a high hill; — used always instead of mountain, when put before a proper name; as, Mount Washington; otherwise, chiefly in poetry., A bulwark for offense or defense; a mound., A bank; a fund., To rise on high; to go up; to be upraised or uplifted; to tower aloft; to ascend; — often with up., To get up on anything, as a platform or scaffold; especially, to seat one’s self on a horse for riding., To attain in value; to amount., To get upon; to ascend; to climb., To place one’s self on, as a horse or other animal, or anything that one sits upon; to bestride., To cause to mount; to put on horseback; to furnish with animals for riding; to furnish with horses., Hence: To put upon anything that sustains and fits for use, as a gun on a carriage, a map or picture on cloth or paper; to prepare for being worn or otherwise used, as a diamond by setting, or a sword blade by adding the hilt, scabbard, etc., To raise aloft; to lift on high., That upon which a person or thing is mounted, A horse., The cardboard or cloth on which a drawing, photograph, or the like is mounted; a mounting.
mourn verb i. To express or to feel grief or sorrow; to grieve; to be sorrowful; to lament; to be in a state of grief or sadness., To wear the customary garb of a mourner., To grieve for; to lament; to deplore; to bemoan; to bewail., To utter in a mournful manner or voice.
mouse noun Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the genus Mus and various related genera of the family Muridae. The common house mouse (Mus musculus) is found in nearly all countries. The American white-footed, or deer, mouse (Hesperomys leucopus) sometimes lives in houses. See Dormouse, Meadow mouse, under Meadow, and Harvest mouse, under Harvest., A knob made on a rope with spun yarn or parceling to prevent a running eye from slipping., Same as 2d Mousing, 2., A familiar term of endearment., A dark-colored swelling caused by a blow., A match used in firing guns or blasting., To watch for and catch mice., To watch for or pursue anything in a sly manner; to pry about, on the lookout for something., To tear, as a cat devours a mouse., To furnish with a mouse; to secure by means of a mousing. See Mouse, n., 2.
mousy adjective Infested with mice; smelling of mice.
mouth noun The opening through which an animal receives food; the aperture between the jaws or between the lips; also, the cavity, containing the tongue and teeth, between the lips and the pharynx; the buccal cavity., An opening affording entrance or exit; orifice; aperture;, The opening of a vessel by which it is filled or emptied, charged or discharged; as, the mouth of a jar or pitcher; the mouth of the lacteal vessels, etc., The opening or entrance of any cavity, as a cave, pit, well, or den., The opening of a piece of ordnance, through which it is discharged., The opening through which the waters of a river or any stream are discharged., The entrance into a harbor., The crosspiece of a bridle bit, which enters the mouth of an animal., A principal speaker; one who utters the common opinion; a mouthpiece., Cry; voice., Speech; language; testimony., A wry face; a grimace; a mow., To take into the mouth; to seize or grind with the mouth or teeth; to chew; to devour., To utter with a voice affectedly big or swelling; to speak in a strained or unnaturally sonorous manner., To form or cleanse with the mouth; to lick, as a bear her cub., To make mouths at., To speak with a full, round, or loud, affected voice; to vociferate; to rant., To put mouth to mouth; to kiss., To make grimaces, esp. in ridicule or contempt.
moved imp. & past participle of Move
mover noun A person or thing that moves, stirs, or changes place., A person or thing that imparts motion, or causes change of place; a motor., One who, or that which, excites, instigates, or causes movement, change, etc.; as, movers of sedition., A proposer; one who offers a proposition, or recommends anything for consideration or adoption; as, the mover of a resolution in a legislative body.
mowen of Mow
mowed imp. of Mow, of Mow
mower noun One who, or that which, mows; a mowing machine; as, a lawn mower.
moxie noun energy; pep., courage, determination., Know-how, expertise.
moyle noun & verb See Moil, and Moile.
mucic adjective Pertaining to, or derived from, gums and micilaginous substances; specif., denoting an acid obtained by the oxidation of gums, dulcite, etc., as a white crystalline substance isomeric with saccharic acid.
mucid adjective Musty; moldy; slimy; mucous.
mucin noun See Mucedin., An albuminoid substance which is contained in mucus, and gives to the latter secretion its peculiar ropy character. It is found in all the secretions from mucous glands, and also between the fibers of connective tissue, as in tendons. See Illust. of Demilune.
mucky adjective Filthy with muck; miry; as, a mucky road., Vile, in a moral sense; sordid.
mucor noun A genus of minute fungi. The plants consist of slender threads with terminal globular sporangia; mold.
mucro noun A minute abrupt point, as of a leaf; any small, sharp point or process, terminating a larger part or organ.
mucus noun A viscid fluid secreted by mucous membranes, which it serves to moisten and protect. It covers the lining membranes of all the cavities which open externally, such as those of the mouth, nose, lungs, intestinal canal, urinary passages, etc., Any other animal fluid of a viscid quality, as the synovial fluid, which lubricates the cavities of the joints; — improperly so used., A gelatinous or slimy substance found in certain algae and other plants.
mudar noun Either one of two asclepiadaceous shrubs (Calotropis gigantea, and C. procera), which furnish a strong and valuable fiber. The acrid milky juice is used medicinally.
muddy superl. Abounding in mud; besmeared or dashed with mud; as, a muddy road or path; muddy boots., Turbid with mud; as, muddy water., Consisting of mud or earth; gross; impure., Confused, as if turbid with mud; cloudy in mind; dull; stupid; also, immethodical; incoherent; vague., Not clear or bright., To soil with mud; to dirty; to render turbid., Fig.: To cloud; to make dull or heavy.
mudir noun Same as Moodir.
mufti noun An official expounder of Mohammedan law., Citizen’s dress when worn by a naval or military officer; — a term derived from the British service in India.
muggy superl. Moist; damp; moldy; as, muggy straw., Warm, damp, and close; as, muggy air, weather.
mugil noun A genus of fishes including the gray mullets. See Mullet.
mulch noun Half-rotten straw, or any like substance strewn on the ground, as over the roots of plants, to protect from heat, drought, etc., and to preserve moisture., To cover or dress with mulch.
mulct noun A fine or penalty, esp. a pecuniary punishment or penalty., A blemish or defect., To punish for an offense or misdemeanor by imposing a fine or forfeiture, esp. a pecuniary fine; to fine., Hence, to deprive of; to withhold by way of punishment or discipline.
muley noun A stiff, long saw, guided at the ends but not stretched in a gate., See Mulley.
mulla noun Same as Mollah.
mulse noun Wine boiled and mingled with honey.
mult- See Multi-., A prefix signifying much or many; several; more than one; as, multiaxial, multocular.
mummy noun A dead body embalmed and dried after the manner of the ancient Egyptians; also, a body preserved, by any means, in a dry state, from the process of putrefaction., Dried flesh of a mummy., A gummy liquor that exudes from embalmed flesh when heated; — formerly supposed to have magical and medicinal properties., A brown color obtained from bitumen. See Mummy brown (below)., A sort of wax used in grafting, etc., One whose affections and energies are withered., To embalm; to mummify.
mumps noun Sullenness; silent displeasure; the sulks., A specific infectious febrile disorder characterized by a nonsuppurative inflammation of the parotid glands; epidemic or infectious parotitis.
munch verb t. & i. To chew with a grinding, crunching sound, as a beast chews provender; to chew deliberately or in large mouthfuls.
munga noun See Bonnet monkey, under Bonnet.
mungo noun A fibrous material obtained by deviling rags or the remnants of woolen goods.
mural adjective Of or pertaining to a wall; being on, or in, a wall; growing on, or against, a wall; as, a mural quadrant., Resembling a wall; perpendicular or steep; as, a mural precipice.
mured imp. & past participle of Mure
murex noun A genus of marine gastropods, having rough, and frequently spinose, shells, which are often highly colored inside; the rock shells. They abound in tropical seas.
murky superl. Dark; obscure; gloomy.
murre noun Any one of several species of sea birds of the genus Uria, or Catarractes; a guillemot.
murry noun See Muraena.
murth noun Plenty; abundance.
murza noun One of the hereditary nobility among the Tatars, esp. one of the second class.
mures plural of Mus
musae plural of Musa
musal adjective Of or pertaining to the Muses, or to Poetry.
musar noun An itinerant player on the musette, an instrument formerly common in Europe.
musca noun A genus of dipterous insects, including the common house fly, and numerous allied species., A small constellation situated between the Southern Cross and the Pole.
musci noun pl. An order or subclass of cryptogamous plants; the mosses. See Moss, and Cryptogamia.
mused imp. & past participle of Muse
muser noun One who muses.
muset noun A small hole or gap through which a wild animal passes; a muse.
mushy adjective Soft like mush; figuratively, good-naturedly weak and effusive; weakly sentimental.
music noun The science and the art of tones, or musical sounds, i. e., sounds of higher or lower pitch, begotten of uniform and synchronous vibrations, as of a string at various degrees of tension; the science of harmonical tones which treats of the principles of harmony, or the properties, dependences, and relations of tones to each other; the art of combining tones in a manner to please the ear., Melody; a rhythmical and otherwise agreeable succession of tones., Harmony; an accordant combination of simultaneous tones., The written and printed notation of a musical composition; the score., Love of music; capacity of enjoying music., A more or less musical sound made by many of the lower animals. See Stridulation.
musit noun See Muset.
musky adjective Having an odor of musk, or somewhat the like.
mussy adjective Disarranged; rumpled.
musty noun Having the rank, pungent, offencive odor and taste which substances of organic origin acquire during warm, moist weather; foul or sour and fetid; moldy; as, musty corn; musty books., Spoiled by age; rank; stale., Dull; heavy; spiritless.
mutch noun The close linen or muslin cap of an old woman.
mutic adjective Alt. of Muticous
muzzy adjective Absent-minded; dazed; muddled; stupid.
myoid adjective Composed of, or resembling, muscular fiber.
myoma noun A tumor consisting of muscular tissue.
myope noun A person having myopy; a myops.
myips noun See Myope.
myopy noun Myopia.
myrrh noun A gum resin, usually of a yellowish brown or amber color, of an aromatic odor, and a bitter, slightly pungent taste. It is valued for its odor and for its medicinal properties. It exudes from the bark of a shrub of Abyssinia and Arabia, the Balsamodendron Myrrha. The myrrh of the Bible is supposed to have been partly the gum above named, and partly the exudation of species of Cistus, or rockrose.
mysis noun A genus of small schizopod shrimps found both in fresh and salt water; the opossum shrimps. One species inhabits the Great Lakes of North America, and is largely eaten by the whitefish. The marine species form part of the food of right whales.
mythe noun See Myth.