M

Macabre gruesome

Machiavellian politically crafty, cunning

Machination plot

Macrobiosis longevity

Macroscopic visibly large

Maelstrom whirlpool

Magisterial arbitrary, dictatorial

Magnanimous generous, kindhearted

Magnate a powerful, successful person (especially of business)

Magnitude size

magnum opus masterpiece

maim injure, disfigure

maladjusted disturbed

maladroit clumsy

malady illness

malaise uneasiness, weariness

malapropism comical misuse of a word

malcontent one who is forever dissatisfied

malediction curse

malefactor evildoer

malevolence bad intent, malice

malfeasance wrong doing (especially by an official of government)

malice spite

malign defame

malignant virulent, pernicious

malinger shirk

malleable moldable, tractable

malodorous fetid

mammoth huge

manacle shackle

mandate command

mandatory obligatory

mandrill baboon

mania madness, obsession

manifest obvious, evident

manifesto proclamation

manifold multiple, diverse

manslaughter killing another person without malice

manumit set free

manuscript unpublished book

mar damage

marauder plunderer

marginal insignificant

marionette puppet

maroon abandon

marshal array, mobilize

martial warlike

martinet disciplinarian

martyr sacrifice, symbol

masochist one who enjoys pain

masticate chew

mastiff large dog

mastodon extinct elephant

maternal motherly

maternity motherhood

matriarch matron

matriculate enroll (usually in school)

matrix array

matutinal early, morning

maudlin weepy, sentimental

maul rough up

mausoleum tomb

maverick a rebel, individualist

mawkish sickeningly sentimental

mayhem mutilation, chaos

mea culpa my fault

meager scanty

meander roam, ramble

median middle

mediocre average

medley mixture

megalith ancient stone monument

melancholy reflective, gloomy

melee riot

mellifluous sweet sounding

melodious melodic

memento souvenir

memoir autobiography

memorabilia things worth remembering

memorandum note

menagerie zoo

mendacity untruth

mendicant beggar

menial humble, degrading

mentor teacher

mercantile commercial

mercenary calculating, venal

mercurial changeable, volatile

metamorphosis a change in form

mete distribute

meteoric swift, dazzling

meteorology science of weather

methodical systematic, careful

meticulous extremely careful, precise

métier occupation

metonymy the substitution of a phrase for the name itself

mettle courage, capacity for bravery

miasma toxin fumes

mien appearance, bearing

migrate travel

milieu environment

militant combative, activist

militate work against

milk extract

millennium thousand-year period

minatory threatening

mince chop, moderate

minion subordinate

minstrel troubadour

minuscule small

minute very small

minutiae trivia

mirage illusion

mire marsh, a situation that is difficult to escape from

mirth jollity

misanthrope hater of mankind

misappropriation use dishonestly

misbegotten illegitimate, obtained by dishonest means

miscarry abort

miscegenation intermarriage between races

miscellany mixture of items

misconstrue misinterpret

miscreant evildoer

misgiving doubt, hesitation

misnomer wrongly named

misogyny hatred of women

misshapen deformed

missive letter

mitigate lessen the severity

mnemonics that which aids the memory

mobilize assemble for action

mobocracy rule by mob

modicum pittance

modish chic

module unit

mogul powerful person

molest bother, sexually assault

mollify appease

molten melted

momentous of great importance

monocle eyeglass

monolithic large and uniform

monologue long speech

monstrosity distorted, abnormal form

moot disputable, no longer relevant

moral ethical

morale spirit, confidence

morass swamp, difficult situation

moratorium postponement

mordant biting, sarcastic

mores moral standards

moribund near death

morose sullen

morphine painkilling drug

morsel bite, piece

mortify humiliate

mosque temple

mote speck

motif artistic theme

motive reason for doing something

motley diverse

mottled spotted

motto slogan, saying

mountebank charlatan

mousy drab, colorless

muckraker reformer

muffle stifle, quiet

mulct defraud

multifarious diverse, many-sided

multitude throng

mundane ordinary

munificent generous

murmur mutter, mumble

muse ponder

muster to gather one’s forces

mutability able to change

mute silent

mutilate maim

mutiny rebellion

mutter murmur, grumble

muzzle restrain, stifle

myopic narrow-minded

myriad innumerable

myrmidons loyal followers

mystique mystery, aura

mythical fictitious