WORDCRAFT DICTIONARY, L-M
Note:
clickable items link to Wordcraft Archives, which may have further notes
labile liable to change;
easily altered. (chemistry: easily
broken down or displaced)
labret an ornament worn
in the upper or lower lip
labretifery the practice of
wearing labrets
labyrinth something highly intricate or convoluted
lacerate to irregularly tear or deeply
cut flesh (also figurative, for mental pain)
lachrymose weeping or weepy; tearful; also,
causing tears
laconic saying much in few words; pithy
and brusque
lacustrine relating to lakes
Laffer curve a graph of tax revenue as a
function of tax rate, illustrating the theory that beyond a certain point,
higher rates will reduce the tax revenue received (by discouraging economic
growth).
lagniappe a gratuity given to a
customer; a small gift
lahar an mud-flow "avalanche" of volcanic ash and
water, down the slopes of a volcano
lallation a speech disorder involving faulty
pronunciation or excessive use of the l-sound.
Lamarckism eponym: theory that one passes his acquired physical traits
to his descendants
lambada a fast, rhythmical, erotic dance, from
lambdacism faulty pronunciation or
excessive use of the l-sound (underuse of it is paralambdacism; see entry at rhotacism)
lampadomancy divination by candles and lamps [dictionary at mancy lists 54 form of
divination]
lanai a veranda or
roofed patio
langsuir mythical creature: a female vampire
that preys on newborns (
lapdog literal: a
small pampered pet dog; figurative: a person who is completely under the
influence of another
lapidary 1. noun a gem-cutter, or the art of gem-cutting; adj.
relating to gem-cutting 2. (of language) elegant and concise
lapsus linguae slip of the tongue
Laputan eponym: absurdly impractical or visionary, especially to the
neglect of more useful activity (from Gulliver's Travels)
lapwing (etymology) a bird of the plover family
larrikin Australian slang: a good-natured but independent or wild-spirited
person, with little regard for
authority, accepted values, etc. (The
spirit of
lascivious 1. lewd, lustful 2. Tending to produce lewd emotions
lasering group insurance:
the practice of excluding, from coverage, a member of the insured group with a
serious pre-existing condition
lask to be afflicted with diarrhea. [From Depraved and Insulting English, by Novobatzky
& Shea]
latibulize to retire into a den, or
hole, and lie dormant in winter; to retreat and lie hid
latitation lying in
concealment; hiding; lurking; latibulum a concealed hiding place; a burrow; a
lair; a hole
latitudinarian adj:
broadminded; permissive; undogmatic. (noun: such a person)
lavaliere eponym: a pendant worn on
a chain around the neck
lay a short lyric or
narrative poem intended to be sung
layabout a person who
habitually does little or no work
lazaretto eponym: a hospital to treating contagious disease, esp.
leprosy (or, a quarantine station)
Lazy
Lawrence an idler
lead-foot a car-driver who drives too fast
(also used as verb or adjective)
leal
chiefly Scottish: faithful; loyal;
true
lecanomancy divination by basins of water [dictionary at mancy lists 54 form of
divination]
lechery excessive and
offensive indulgence in sexual activity
lectica a kind of litter or
portable couch used by the ancient Romans
leeftail in great demand; having a
quick sale
leer to look (at) with a sly, immodest, or evil expression (noun: the look itself)
left and right, in politics [from a reader]
after the French Revolution, the nobles in the French National Assembly were
seated on the president's right and the Third Estate was seated on the
president's left. The sides were referred to as left and right (in French);
legerdemain (also here) 1. sleight of hand 2. trickery,
deception, hocus-pocus
legman 1. a
reporter assigned to gather information 2. an
assistant who performs subordinate tasks, as gathering information or running errands
lei a Polynesian
garland of flowers, esp. one worn around the neck
lek an animals' "singles bar"; a place where animals
gather to compete for mates (also: the gathering there; the competition
there; and to lek: to so
compete)
lekvar a sweet spread or pastry filling made of prunes or apricots
leman (archaic) a
lover or sweetheart
lemmatize (dictionaries) to determine
the headings under which words are listed (e.g., had is under have)
lemniscate the ∞ or
"infinity" symbol
lenity leniency; mercifulness due to
being lenient or tolerant.
lenocinant lewd, lascivious
leonine of or like a lion [Also, Leonine verse (eponym) verse in which a word in the middle of a line rhymes
with a word at the end. This is a separate word, from Leonius, 12th-century canon of the
lethologica forgetfulness of words; inability to recall right word
lettre de cachet a warrant issued for the imprisonment of a person without
trial, at the pleasure of the monarch
leucism insufficient pigment, resulting in paleness (contrast albinism)
Levis named from
manufacturer Levi Strauss
lewd crude and
offensive in a sexual way
lewisite eponym: a poison gas developed for war use
Lexiphanes user of bombastic phraseology (from title of one of Luciens
dialogs)
liaise to work closely with more than one group. from
liaison; casually accepted, as a verb, in brit-speak
libation the pouring of a drink as offering to a
deity; the drink so poured. Humorous: an alcoholic drink
libertine a man who acts
without moral restraint, especially sexually (also used as an adjective)
licentious 1. without the restraint of moral discipline (esp. in
sex) 2. having no regard for accepted standards
lickerish 1. lecherous, lustful, wanton 2. greedy;
desirous
lickspittle a fawning underling;
a toady (but more commonly used as an adjective)
lido toponym: a public open-air swimming pool or bathing
beach
lief willingly; readily [akin to love]
liffy to seduce a woman with promises of fidelity, and then desert her
ligature a character, such as ζ, combining two or more letters; something
that ties or binds
light year 1. astronomical:
a certain huge measure of distance, used in measuring interstellar space. It is
the distance light travels in a year. 2. metaphoric:
a very large distance or figurative distance
Lilliputian eponym: very small in size; also, of trifling importance (from Gulliver's
Travels)
limerance the initial exhilarating rush of
falling in love; the state of "being in love". coined
1979 by Dorothy Tennov; it will be interesting to see
if this word enters the vernacular.
limnology the study of
bodies of fresh water, including their biology and geology; contrast oceanography
limousine toponym: a large luxurious car; esp. one
with separate compartments for driver and for passengers
limpid clear, transparent; as, a limpid
stream; also, easily intelligible; clear: writes in a limpid style;
also, calm, serene
lincture another name for electuary, which see
line or reline (in
art conservation) see weave impression
lingam a phallic object as a symbol of the
Hindu god of reproduction
lingua a language or 'lingo'
lingua franca a common language used by speakers
of different languages
lingual of or produced by the
tongue
linguaphile a lover of languages and words.
linguicide the extinction of a language (either by deliberate annihilation or
unintentional death). Considered a threat to one's heritage,
culture and nationality.
lintel a horizontal
support across the top of a door or window
lionize to look treat (a
person) as a celebrity
lipogram a composition excluding words containing some selected certain
letter or letters
liquor (not the name for a drink) the water used for form the wort, in brewing
liripoop the tail or tassel on the hat
worn with graduation robes (also, obs.: a silly
person)
lirp obs. rare: a
snap of the fingers; also verb: to
snap with one's fingers
lissom limber; supple; easily bent; able to move with ease
lister a dyer (obsolete)
listerine eponym: an antiseptic solution
literati the literary
intelligentsia
lithography printing with a
plate whose areas are chemically treated to retain or repel ink
lithomancy divination by stones [dictionary at mancy lists 54 form of divination]
litmus test a test that relies on a single
indicator ("Her litmus test for good breeding is whether you split
infinitives.")
litotes rhetoric: a
deliberate, modest understatement (typically meant to imply the opposite): I
have this tiny little tumor on the brain (compare meiosis). One form is to negate the contrary: He is no fool.
Little-endian see Big-endian
littoral relating to the
shore of non-flowing waters such as lakes, oceans, etc. Also used as a noun.
livanomancy divination by the burning of incense [dictionary at mancy lists 54 form of
divination]
livid 1. discolored, as a bruise;
black-and-blue 2. ashen or pallid; dull grayish
blue 3. extremely angry; furious
llano an open grassy
plain, treeless or nearly so
lobster Newburg Delmonico's Restaurant in
locum; locum tenens (pl. locum tenentes) a
doctor or cleric standing in for another who is temporarily away
lodestar one that serves as an inspiration,
model, or guide
loganamnosis the obsession with recalling a certain
word
logaoedic a poem or line of
verse in which different metrical feet are mixed to give an effect like speech
or prose
logarithmancy divination by logarithms [dictionary at mancy lists 54 form of divination]
logastellus a person whose love of words is greater
than their knowledge of words
logocracy rulership by words
logodaedalus artificer in words (logodaedaly verbal trickery or legerdemain)
logogogue one practicing logology (the science of words)
logographer one who writes speeches, or writes history in a
condensed manner with short simple sentences.
logomachy 1. a
dispute about words 2. a dispute carried on in
words only; a battle of words [logomachist,
logomachize]
logomancy divination by words or by speech
logomania pathologically excessive (and often incoherent)
talking
logomaniac one insanely interested in words
logophobia the fear of words
logorrhea excessive talkativeness or
wordiness; "verbal diarrhea"; (also: logomania)
logroll 1. to engage in political
logrolling 2. to birl
(which see) logrolling (N. Amer.) an exchange of favors between
politicians: You vote for my project and Ill vote for yours
lollygag to fool around; to spend time aimlessly;
to dawdle or dally. lollygagger one who dawdles or putters around (verb: to lollygag)
longeron a major
structural part of aircraft fuselage, running front to rear
longneck a glass beer bottle with an elongated neck
loofah a scratchy bath-sponge, made from the fibrous insides
of the fruit of the loofah plant (seems to be rather popular nowadays)
loonie slang: the Canadian one-dollar coin
loquacious given to much talking; very
talkative
Lord Haw Haw eponym: a
traitor, particularly one who makes propaganda for the enemy
lorel a good for nothing fellow; a vagabond
losel a worthless person
lothario; Lothario eponym: a seducer of
women; a libertine; a lady-killer
lotus eater a lazy person devoted to pleasure and luxury. lotus land a place or state of
languid contentment. (Wordcrafter's note: in my
judgment they connote a sense of drugged unreality, which the dictionaries have
missed.)
louche disreputable or dubious; shady but in a rakishly
appealing way
loudhailer a megaphone
lour (of the sky) to
look dark and threatening (noun: such an appearance) [Also, unconnected
with sky: a scowl; to scowl]
lousy original definition: infected and/or covered with lice
loxodrome the path of a ship or plane that
maintains an unchanging compass direction. Also called a rhumb or rhumb line.
luau a Hawaiian feast [lit.
"young taro tops," which were served at
outdoor feasts]
lubber a big, clumsy,
stupid fellow; esp. a lazy one; a lout
lubricious 1. lewd; wanton; salacious 2. slippery
smooth, with oil or grease; also, shifty or tricky (noun lubricity)
lucarne a dormer
window (OED says it includes any other window cut into a roof)
Lucifer the Devil
lucullan eponym: lavish, luxurious, opulent (e.g., a banquet)
Lucy Stoner eponym: a married woman who keeps her
maiden name
Luddite eponym: one who opposes technological change
ludic relating to undirected, spontaneous playfulness (pronounced
as in 'ludicrous')
luferlang mythical creature that can run
in either direction; easily identified by the tail in the middle of its back.
It bite is almost certain death; the biting season usually occurs on July 12.
Avoid green clothing, which tends to arouse the creature further; conversely, a
conspicuous orange-colored handkerchief will invariably afford full protection.
Or, since the luferlang is terribly frightened of
seeing itself, carry a big mirror so that in the event of luferlang
attack you can hold that mirror in front of you.
luftmensch an impractical dreamer,
without business or income
Luger eponym:
semiautomatic pistol widely used by Germans in WWII (though introduced
earlier). Some consider it to be the finest pistol ever produced.
lumpen 1. adj. or noun: of
the lumpenproletariat
2. degraded, stupid, boorish, and
uninterested in improving (also, vulgar or common) 3. of persons (not necessarily low-class) cut off from their
normal economic/social class 4.
(perhaps influenced by 'lumpy'?) lumpy,
heavy and misshapen
lumpenproletariat 1.
the lowest stratum of the proletariat (that is, of
wage-slaves) 2. the most degraded underclass,
on the margins of society: vagrants, street-criminals, prostitutes, the
homeless [But see notes below.]
lunacy (from L. lunaticus
"moon-struck," from luna "moon") insanity, esp. when
intermittently relieved by periods of clear-mindedness. by
extension: great or wild foolishness; a wildly foolish act. Lunatic fringe was apparently coined by
Theodore Roosevelt (1913).
lunula (plural lunulae) the white
crescent-shaped part of the fingernail at the base of the nail
lust intense or
unrestrained sexual craving (also as verb)
lustrum a period of five years
lutz eponym: figure-skating jump (contrast axel, salchow):
skate backward; jump off outside
edge and spin
luxuria (the formal name of one of the seven deadly sins) lust, in a sense
not limited to sex: a driving force to do things that are harmful to you
lycanthrope a werewolf; a human being fabled
to have been changed into a wolf. The first syllable is pronounced with a
long-i sound.
lycιe (vowels and accent as in 'repay") a French public
secondary school that prepares students for the university
lyceum 1. a
public hall for lectures and concerts; an association for debate and literary
improvement. [From Greek Lukeion, the
school outside
lyncean pertaining to or like a lynx; keen-sighted.
LYS
(knitting)
Little Yarn Shop, or Local Yarn Shop
macabre eponym: gruesome; having death as a subject; causing horror
in the viewer
macadam eponym: a common type of paving of roads
macarism pleasure in another's joy
macerate 1. to soften by soaking 2. to weaken, esp. by starvation
Mach number eponym: speed, stated as ratio to speed of sound
macharomancy divination by knives and swords [dictionary at mancy lists 54 form of
divination]
machiavellian eponym:
cunning, scheming, and unscrupulous
machination a crafty scheme to an evil end
mackabroin; mackabroine a disobliging woman (says one source); a hideous old
woman (says another)
mackintosh eponym: a raincoat
macron the horizontal mark indicating
the long pronunciation of a vowel, as in ā (see diacritical
mark)
macrosmatic having a supersensitive nose (The Word Lover's
Dictionary)
maculate stained; impure (less
commonly, spotted or blotched)
(contrast immaculate)
madefy to make wet or moist
mae west eponym: an inflatable
life jacket, in the form of a collar extending down the chest
magazine (guns) 1. a chamber holding a supply of cartridges to be fed
automatically to the breech of a gun 2. a store
for arms, ammunition, and explosives
magdalen; magdalene (also here) eponym: a reformed prostitute; also, a refuge for such women
or a reformatory for prostitutes
magenta toponym: a deep purplish-red dye (chemical
name: fuchsine);
its color
maggotorium a place where maggots are bred for use as
bait by anglers
maggotry
foolishness, absurdity. Obsolete
Maginot line (also here) eponym: an expensive defense that seems
impregnable, creates a false sense of security, but proves utterly ineffective
(typically because it is static and thus cannot respond to other means of
attack).
magma hot fluid or
semi-fluid rock within the earths crust
magpie (etymology)
Mahernia a certain genus, named as
a near-anagram of the related genus Hermannia.
maidenhead (etymology)
maieutic a technique in
which a teacher (rather than giving information) asks a series of questions to draw
out, from the student, ideas previously latent in the students mind [A more
common word for this is Socratic (eponym). A few sources also give hebamic as a rare word of the same meaning.]
mail slot a slot or slit in a door (occasionally in a wall),
through which mail can be delivered
Main Street typical, average Americans (or,
typical small-town Americans), taken as a group. [Note: a derogatory sense of
"parochial, conservative" is common in the dictionaries but much less
common in usage.]
maintenance law: an outsider unjustifiably stepping in to
assist a litigant
maisonette Brit: a two-floor apartment in a larger building, often with
its own entrance
majorette or drum majorette a girl or woman who leads a
marching band or accompanies it as a baton twirler
malaprop; malapropism eponym: ludicrous misuse of a word, by confusing
it with one of similar sound
malediction a curse; calling a curse down upon
malingering see Munchausen
syndrome
malleable easily controlled
or influenced; tractable (also, able to adjust to changing
circumstances; adaptable). In science, a malleable metal is one that can
be hammered or pounded into thin sheets; contrast ductile
malt grain (usually
barley) that has been sprouted (to convert the seeds starch into sugar) and
then dried. The first step in brewing.
malversation corruption by one
in public office or a position of trust.
malware malicious software, designed to damage or disrupt a
system [see virus; Trojan; worm]
mamelon a rounded hillock; a rounded elevation or
protuberance
mamihlapinatapei (foreign) a shared glance of longing between
two people, each knowing the meaning and each wishing the other will initiate
something where neither is quite willing to make the move. [from
the Fuegian language of
mammothrept a spoiled
child [from Greek meaning "raised by one's grandmother"]
man Friday eponym: a valued right-hand man
manciple a person
responsible for provisioning a group of people (more specifically, one
who purchases provisions for a college, monastery, Inn of Court, etc.)
mancy suffix meaning divination; foretelling the future. Divination
forms include divination by the air:aero-; cocks:alectro-; meal, flour, or bran:alphito-; human entrails:antinopo-; numbers:arith-; dice:astragalo-; flight or entrails of birds:augery; saws:axino-; herbs:botano-; asses' heads:cephaleono-; writing in papers, and Valentines:charto-; the hands:chiro-; crystals:crystallo-; rings:dactylo-; devils and evil spirits:demono-; sound of or marks upon the belly:gastro-; earth:geo-; circles:gyro-; water:hydro-; fishes:icthyo-; idols, images, and figures:idolo-; vessels of brass or other metal:kaltabo-; smoke:kapno-; looking-glasses:katoxtro-; the melting of wax:kero-; lots:klero-; sieves:koseino-; corn or grain:kritho-; candles and lamps:lampado-; basins of water:lecano-; stones:litho-; burning of incense:livano-; logarithms:logarith-; knives and swords:macharo-; summoning the dead:necro-; lees of wine:oino-; the navel:omphelo-; the nails:onchyo-; dreams:oneiro-; names:ono-; birds:ornitho-; feet:podo-; soul, affections, or dispositions of men:psycho-; fire:pyro-; stars:roado-; shadows:scio-; skins, bones, &c:spatala-; the elements:stareo-; marks from the breast to the belly:sterno-; figs:syco-; ashes:tephro-; Scriptures, or word of God:theo-; beasts:therio-; cheese:tyro-
mandala an intricate design
signifying the universe (Hinduism, Buddhism)
mandelbug eponym: computer
programming (software): bug that behaves in chaotic, seemingly random manner
mandrel a core or rod around which
material is shaped or formed
manhandling (noun) rough
handling
man-hating hatred of the male
sex; misandry
Manichean viewing the world as a stark
conflict between good and evil, black vs. white, with no shades of gray
mano-a-mano (noun, adj.,
adv.) face to face confrontation; direct competition
manuduction careful guidance (adj. manuductory). manuductor an officer in the ancient church, who
gave the signal for the choir to sing, who beat time and regulated the music
manumission release from slavery
manustupration masturbation [from
Latin manus "hand" + stuprare
"defile"]
manyplies one of four parts
of a cow's stomach; see abomasum
marcel eponym: a deep soft wave made in the hair by the use of a
heated curling iron
marge border; margin; edge; verge
marginalia notes made in the
margins of a book
marmoreal; marmorean (also here) of or suggesting of
marble (can
emphasize smoothness, whiteness, hardness or coldness.)
maroon an exploding
firework that produces a loud bang
marplot eponym: an officious
meddler whose interference compromises the success of an undertaking
martial eponym: of war or a warrior; also, warlike
martinet eponym: a strict disciplinarian; also, a demander of
absolute adherence to forms and rules
marver glassblowing: a
smooth, hard, flat surface on which softened glass is rolled [Fr. marbre = marble]
masjid; musjid a mosque
mason jar eponym: a wide-mouthed
glass jar with a screw top, used for canning food
mass market the market for goods produced in large quantities for
the broad population
mass of maneuver something held in reserve, to be
used when and where the appropriate becomes clear (chiefly military, but available for metaphorical use)
mass producer a manufacture producing in large quantities, typically
by automated process
matronymic adj. and noun: of a name derived from one's mother or
maternal ancestor
matutinal relating to the early morning, esp.
the period just after waking
maudlin eponym:
with shallow, mawkish sentimentality; also, in the drunken state of
tearful sentimentality and effusive affection
maulstick; mahlstick a light stick on
which a painter supports and steadies his brush hand, for detail work, without
resting the hand on wet paint
mau-mau informal: to attack or denounce vociferously, especially
so as to intimidate
maunder
to move, talk, or act in a rambling or aimless manner
mausoleum
eponym: 1. a large stately tomb (or a building housing
such tomb(s)) 2. a gloomy, usually
large room or building
mawkish sickly or excessively
sentimental as to be nauseous; disgusting
mazarine eponym: a deep blue color
mazy like a maze, in
design or complexity; labyrinthine
McJob a low-paying job that
requires little skill and provides little opportunity
mea culpa an acknowledgement that one is at fault
meadΉ a meadow
mead² an alcoholic drink
of fermented honey and water
measly original definition:
infected with measles; also (of beef or pork) infected with larval
parasites
mecca toponym: a
place which attracts many people of a particular group or with a particular
interest
medicaster a medical charlatan; a quack
medusa eponym: the tentacled stage in the
life cycle of a jellyfish. [a nice image, that!]
megalomania mania for grandiose or extravagant actions; also, a
mental disorder characterized by delusions of grandeur
meiosis rhetoric: a litotes in which the understatement is by
the name used, rather than by an adjective such as "tiny"; e.g.,
saying an amputated leg is "just a flesh wound." (compare litotes)
melancholy adj.: sad or
depressed. noun: deep, persistent
sadness
melanism excess dark pigment
meliorism the belief that improvement of
society depends on human effort. (meliorist; melioristic)
mellifluous smooth and sweetly flowing
(typically used of a voice or other sounds). from L
for 'honey-flowing'
meme an element of
culture passed on by imitation or other non-genetic means [coined by Richard Dawkins,
biologist; cross between an idea and a gene]
mememto mori a reminder of
mortality
mendicant a beggar. adj: begging for a living
meninges (singular meninx)
see dura mater
mensh a person admirable for fundamental decency
mentor eponym: a wise and
trusted counselor or teacher; also, v.tr.
and v.intr. to serve as such a counselor or teacher, esp. in a
job-setting. (1750, from
mercer a cloth merchant
mercerize eponym: to treat cotton thread with lye,
so as to increase its strength, luster and affinity for dye
mercurial with shrewdness, eloquence, or
thievishness; also, changeable in temperament or mood; volatile
merdivorous dung-eating [same as coprophagous]
meretricious 1. concerning
prostitutes or prostitution 2.a. vulgarly attracting attention; gaudy b.
specious; plausible but false or insincere
mesmerize eponym: 1. to spellbind; enthrall
2. to hypnotize
mestizo either a person of mixed ancestry (say some dictionaries) or
specifically european/american-indian mix (say other
dictionaries). see also mulatto
metallised (or metalled) road a road that has been tarmacked
metamorphosis a complete change in physical nature, as if by magic; also,
striking change in appearance or character (the metamorphosis of the old
house); also, the change in certain animals (e.g., a butterfly) from larva to
adult. metamorphic
relating to metamorphosis, particularly of rocks
metanalysis creation of a new word by reinterpreting the form of an old
one
meteor the streak of
light as a stone passes through the earth's atmosphere; also, the stone
itself during that passage
meteoroid a stone in
interplanetary space, too small to be an asteroid
meteorite the stone,
formerly a meteor, after having come to rest on or in the earth
meteoric of very sudden brilliance, swiftly rising and seemingly
coming from nowhere.
metheglin a drink of
fermented honey and water (also called mead), esp. when spiced or
medicated
Methuselah eponym: a very old man. (by extension: 1.
any plant or animal alive but extremely old for its kind or circumstances 2.
pertaining to extremely long life-span.) Also: a certain large
wine-bottle
metonymy substituting one
word or phrase for another with which it is closely associated, as
miasma a noxious atmosphere (as from a swamp) or influence
Micawber eponym: a kindhearted,
but ineffective, incurable optimist
Mickey Finn eponym: slang: knockout drops
slipped into a drink; also, an alcoholic drink that has been deliberately adulterated
with a strong sedative or purgative
Mickey Mouse eponym: 1.
unimportant, trivial: a Mickey Mouse
operation 2. irritatingly petty: Mickey Mouse regulations
microburst sudden, short-lived downdraft that creates strong
wind shear
micropachycephalosaurus a certain kind of dinosaur
Midas touch eponym: ability to make & keep huge sums
money
midlist a publisher's new
or current books expected to have less popular appeal than the frontlist
midwife (interesting etymology; see
Archives)
midwife toad a certain genus of toad of
mien bearing or manner, esp. as
it reveals an inner state of mind: "He was a
milquetoast eponym: a timid, meek, or unassertive
person
minaret a slender tower of a
mosque, with a balcony from which a crier (the muezzin)
calls Muslims to prayer
minerval a gift given in
gratitude by a pupil to a teacher; also a fee paid to a schoolteacher [Wordcrafter: presumably one which is called, with genteel
tact, a 'gift'.]
mingy; mingey British; antique: somewhat
unpleasant - maybe unhelpful or tightfisted
miniature a picture or decorative letter [not
necessarily small] on an illuminated manuscript; also, a small painting,
or more generally, something small of its class.
minimus the little finger (or the little toe)
minion 1. an
obsequious follower or dependent; a sycophant 2. a
subordinate official.
mirabiliary a miracle worker
mis en scθne the staging of a play; the
stage setting
misandry hatred of men
miscible (of liquids)
capable of being mixed together, in any proportion (In other words, like
alcohol and water; not like oil and water.) The opposite is immiscible.
miscreant behaving badly or unlawfully (noun: one who behaves that way)
mishmash a confused mixture
misocapnist person who hates tobacco smoke
misogyny hatred of women
misoneism dislike of novelty
(So says OED, but I think of it as far stronger, an extreme fear or hatred of
anything new, as in its very first usage.) also
misoeist
misprision 1. neglect or malperformance in
office (not implying corruption) 2. misinterpretation,
esp. undervaluing; also, contempt, scorn [noun form of misprize]
misremember 1. to remember
inaccurately 2. to forget entirely
Miss MacKenzie a female who will "do
it"; a young lady who is loved by all
missish like a miss; prim; affected; sentimental
mithridatism
(eponym)
tolerance or immunity to a poison, acquired by taking gradually larger doses of
it. mithridate
an antidote against poison, especially a confection formerly held to be an
antidote to all poisons.
mixed message action that gives confusingly
contradictory signals
mnemonic adj. assisting the memory. noun a
device (as a rhyme) to aid memory
moating (in art conservation) see weave impression
mocktail [mock
+ cocktail] a cocktail with no alcohol
mohel (or moil, moyl or moyle) in Judaism, one who performs the
circumcision of a male child.
moiety one of two roughly-equal parts;
a half. Typically use of a deceased's estate.
moil to work with painful effort; to
toil; to drudge (noun: toil; hard work; drudgery); also, to churn
or swirl about continuously (noun: confusion; turmoil)
moirologist a hired mourner
mojo
1. a magic charm or spell 2. a voodoo amulet 3. personal
magnetism, charm
Molotov cocktail eponym:
makeshift incendiary bomb: flammable liquid in a breakable bottle, with rag
wick lit just before hurling
mome
a blockhead or fool; a dull, silent person. However, Novobatzky
& Shea define it as 'a nitpicking critic';
Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898), gives 'a Momus,
find-fault, carping fellow', citing Cotgrave, and adds "from Momus, the [Greek]
god of raillery".
Monday morning quarterback from
mondegreen a series of words that result
from the mishearing or misinterpretation of a statement or song lyric. For
example, I led the pigeons to the flag for I pledge allegiance to the flag.
monkey wrench eponym: US term for what Brits call a
spanner
monkish inclined to
disciplinary self-denial
monkshood see aconite
monoculture the cultivation of
only a single crop in a particular area
monologuize synonym for soliloquize
monopsony a market in which there is
only one buyer
monotherapy use
of a single drug to treat a particular disorder
monotreme [Greek for 'one-hole'] an order
of primitive egg-laying mammals
Montgolfier eponym: a hot-air balloon
moon (etymology) from an Indo-European root meaning 'to
measure"; a month is measured by the phases of the moon
moon
dog see parhelion
moon-calf
originally: a misshapen mass in the uterus (thought to be caused by the
baleful influence of the moon); a false pregnancy; also, from this: a
monster
more commonly: a born fool; a simpleton; or one given to
absent-minded daydreaming (but coming to be used in the sense of
"someone sentimentally love-sick")
mooreeffoc the queerness of things which,
previously trite, are suddenly seen from a new angle
moot 1. subject to debate; arguable. 2.
law: of no practical importance in the
context of the case; irrelevant
moraine a mass of rocks
and sediment carried down and deposited by a glacier
mordacious (also here,
and see mordant) biting; caustic;
sarcastic; capable of wounding (also biting in the literal sense)
mordant (or mordacious)
(especially of humor) caustic; biting; sharply sarcastic (also has noun
senses)
morgan unit of inferred distance between genes on a chromosome
morganatic of or pertaining to a legal
marriage between a person of royal or noble birth and a partner of lower rank,
in which no titles or estates of the royal or noble partner are to be shared by
the partner of inferior rank nor by any of the offspring of the marriage.
morganite eponym: a rose-colored
gem variety of beryl. [1911; after financier J. P. Morgan ]
morganizeΉ eponym: says OED: to assassinate secretly
in order to prevent or punish disclosures [Wordcrafter
note: I believe the word includes "to kidnap" for the same purpose.]
morganize² eponym: to acquire control of an entire
industry, for profit [after financier J.P. Morgan]
morgen a unit of measurement of land
area, still in use in South Africa, equal to just over 0.85 hectare (2 acres)
morocco fine flexible
leather made (originally in
moron see idiot
morpheme a unit of meaning that cannot be broken down into smaller such
units. (It can have one or more syllables but isn't necessarilly
a complete word.) A free morpheme can stand
alone; a bound morpheme must combine with a
free morpheme, which it modifies. Thus the word attempting contains a free morpheme (attempt) and a bound morpheme ( -ing).
Mortons Fork eponym: the principle that "youre
damned if you do, and damned if you dont"
mossback a very old-fashioned person, one
with ancient views or thinking; an old fogy
mot juste (French) the precisely
right word or
expression
mother-in-law Old and Bitter; that is, a mixture of Old Ale (heavy beer more
commonly drunk in the winter) and Bitter (the most common type of English beer,
usually quite hoppy in flavor)
motile Biology: having the power to move spontaneously
mottle verb: to mark with splotches or blots. noun:
such a splotch or blotch; also, a variegated pattern, as on marble
moue a little grimace; a pout
mouillι a consonant sound that is softened and liquid, pronounced as a
palatal sound
mouton enragι a normally calm
person who has suddenly become enraged or violent
move the goal posts from
mow a grimace (some
sources suggest the grimace of sticking out the lower lip)
muckender a handkerchief
muggle 1. people who are not wizards (Harry Potter books) 2. old slang: a marijuana cigarette.
mugwump one (esp. in politics) who acts independently or remains neutral
(non-complimentary)
mulatto a person half negro, half caucasian. Like
terms are quadroon Ό black; octoroon ⅛ black; sambo
Ύ black. As to mestizo, dictionaries differ:
either "mixed ancestry" or "a European/American Indian mix". Ugh.
mulct to fine someone; also, to cheat somebody out of something, esp.
money
muleta a short red cape, used by a matador to maneuver a
bull during the final passes before a kill
muliebrity the state of being a woman or of
possessing full womanly powers; womanhood (correlate of virility)
mulligan a second chance to
play a golf shot; a "do-over" (see also mulligan stew)
mulligan stew or mulligan a stew made with
whatever's available (also fig: a mixture, jumble, hotchpotch) [hobo
slang]
mulligrubs depression for no apparent reason;
melancholy
mumbo-jumbo; mumbo-jumbery obscure or meaningless language or ritual; jargon intended to impress or mystify; nonsense
Munchausen syndrome psychological disorder in which one
repeatedly seeks medical attention for physical symptoms knowing that he is
fabricating or exaggerating the symptoms, or that they are self-inflicted
munchkin eponym: a very small
person, often endearing; a child; a minor official
mundungus foul-smelling tobacco (also, apparently
slang, in the Royal navy, for any useless or unwanted material, like gubbins, wiffen, etc.)
munge to imperfectly transform information
Munich toponym: shortsighted and often dishonorable appeasement of a tyrant
munificent very liberal in giving or
bestowing; very generous; lavish
munition; munitions war material of any kind
(weapons, equipment, stores, etc.), but especially weapons. (verb:
to supply with munitions) Especially weapons, but not
necessarily firearms. OED quotes show the term used for items from
spears and pikes to atomic bombs.
murmuration a flock (of
starlings)
Murphy game eponym: any of various
confidence games often having the services of a prostitute as a lure
Murphys Law eponym?: if
anything can go wrong, it will [No one is sure who Murphy was.]
murrain originally, a pestilence or
plague; now particularly a plague among domestic animals
murrey dark red; dark purplish red. (from mulberry)
muscatel (etymology) Italian for "wine
with flies in it"
musjid see masjid
musth (of a male animal, esp.
an elephant or camel:) in heightened
aggression and unpredictable behavior, usually occurring annually in
association with a testosterone surge (also
noun: the such condition)
mutable prone to change; inconstant; also, capable of
change or of being changed (antonym: immutable)
mutatis mutandis (when comparing two or more cases) making
necessary alterations while not affecting the main point; with respective
differences taken into consideration
Mutt and Jeff eponym: a
pair of comically mismatched people, esp. one tall and one short; also,
a pair of lovable losers
muumuu a long dress,
loose and unbelted, hanging free from the shoulders
muzzy 1. mentally confused; muddled 2. blurred;
indistinct
mycotrophy symbiosis between a fungus and a green plant
mydriatic of
or pertaining to pupil dilation
myopic nearsighted; unable to see distant objects clearly; also fig.: lacking foresight; shortsighted
myriad noun and adj. of a very great, but indefinite number:
a myriad of stars or myriad stars
myrmidon eponym: a subordinate
officer who executes cruel orders of a superior without protest or pity
myrrh an aromatic gum resin, used in
perfumes and as incense
mystagogue one who initiates
another into a mystery cult
