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English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

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ma
noun
An informal word for "mother".
maa
intj
A word imitating the bleating sound made by a sheep or goat.
maar
noun
A wide, low volcanic crater formed by an explosive eruption, often later filled with water to form a lake.
Maarten
name
A masculine given name of Dutch origin.
mab
noun
(dated, dialectal) A sloppy or slovenly woman.
Mabel
name
A feminine given name of Latin origin, a clipping of Amabel.
Mac
noun
An informal way to address a man whose name you don't know.
maca
noun
A hardy Andean plant grown for its turnip-like root, or a supplement made from that root, often taken for energy or hormone balance.
macabre
adj
Disturbingly focused on death, or gruesome and horrifying to look at.
macadamia
noun
An evergreen tree native to Australia, grown for its rich, buttery nuts.
Macao
name
An alternative spelling of Macau, a city and special administrative region of China, and former Portuguese colony.
Macarena
noun
A line dance with simple, repeated arm movements and hip swaying, done to a fast Latin beat.
macaroni
adj
(historical) Fashionable or stylish in an exaggerated, foppish way, especially describing 18th-century dandies.
macaroon
noun
(archaic, informal) A coarse or unrefined person.
MacArthur
name
A Scottish surname, borne notably by US General Douglas MacArthur.
Macau
name
A special administrative region of China on the southern coast, formerly a Portuguese colony and known for gambling and tourism.
Macaulay
name
A Scottish surname and given name, also used as a first name, most famously by actor Macaulay Culkin.
Macbeth
name
A tragedy by William Shakespeare about a Scottish nobleman driven by ambition and prophecy to murder his way to the throne.
MacDonald
name
A Scottish surname meaning "son of Donald," borne by Canada's first prime minister, John A. Macdonald.
MacDougall
name
A Scottish surname meaning "son of Dougall," from a Gaelic clan name.
Macduff
name
A Scottish surname, famously used by Shakespeare for the thane who kills Macbeth in the play "Macbeth."
mace
noun
A heavy club, often with a spiked or knobbed head, historically used as a weapon.
Macedonia
name
A region and historical kingdom in southeastern Europe, also the name of a modern country (North Macedonia) and a region of Greece.
Macedonian
adj
Relating to Macedonia, its people, or its language.
Macey
name
An English surname and unisex given name, a variant of "Macy."
Macfarlane
noun
A sleeveless overcoat with a separate cape attached at the shoulders, worn over the sleeves.
MacGregor
name
A Scottish surname meaning "son of Gregor," associated with the historic Clan Gregor.
MacGyver
noun
A person who can cleverly improvise a solution using whatever ordinary objects happen to be at hand.
Mach
name
A surname of Austrian physicist Ernst Mach, after whom the unit of speed relative to the speed of sound is named.
Macha
adj
(slang) Macho; exaggeratedly tough or masculine.
machete
noun
A broad, heavy knife used for cutting through thick vegetation or as a weapon.
machi
noun
A traditional healer and spiritual leader in Mapuche culture, found in Chile and Argentina.
Machiavelli
noun
A person who schemes and manipulates others cunningly and without moral scruple, in order to gain or hold power.
Machiavellian
adj
Willing to use cunning, deception, or ruthless scheming to achieve power or goals, especially in politics.
Machin
noun
Any of a well-known British series of postage stamps featuring a side profile of Queen Elizabeth II, first issued in 1967.
machine
noun
A device with moving parts that uses energy to perform a task.
machinery
noun
Machines considered together, especially the equipment used in a factory or industry.
macho
adj
Showing an exaggerated, often aggressive sense of masculinity.
Macintosh
noun
A brand of personal computer made by Apple Inc.
MacIntyre
name
A Scottish surname meaning "son of the carpenter."
Mack
noun
(slang) Someone who is smooth and confident at flirting or picking up partners.
Mackay
name
A Scottish surname, and the name of a coastal city in Queensland, Australia.
Mackenzie
name
A surname from Scottish Gaelic of Scottish origin.
mackerel
noun
A small, oily edible sea fish with a streaked or speckled pattern on its back.
Mackey
name
A surname of Irish or Scottish origin, a variant of "Mackie" or "Mackay."
Mackie
name
A Scottish surname and diminutive form related to "Mackay."
mackintosh
noun
A raincoat made from rubberized, waterproof fabric.
Macklin
name
An English and Irish surname, also used as a given name.
Maclean
name
A Scottish surname meaning "son of the servant of John," associated with the Clan MacLean.
Macleod
name
A Scottish surname meaning "son of Leod," associated with the Clan MacLeod of Skye.
MacMillan
name
A surname of Scottish origin.
Macon
noun
A dry red or white wine from the Mâcon region of Burgundy, France, or a similar style of wine.
Macpherson
name
A Scottish surname meaning "son of the parson."
macro
noun
A short, saved sequence of commands that runs automatically to perform a repeated task.
Macy
name
A female given name, originally taken from the surname Macy.
mad
adj
Angry or annoyed.
Madagascar
name
A large island nation off the southeast coast of Africa, known for its unique wildlife.
madam
noun
A polite, formal way to address a woman.
Madan
noun
A member of the Marsh Arabs, the traditional inhabitants of the wetlands of southern Iraq.
madcap
adj
Wild, impulsive, or reckless in a way that's often funny rather than dangerous.
madden
verb
To make someone very angry or frustrated.
maddening
adj
So frustrating or annoying that it feels like it could drive you crazy.
madder
noun
A plant whose root produces a deep reddish dye, or the dye itself.
Maddie
name
A diminutive of the female given name Madeleine.
Maddox
name
A male given name, from a Welsh surname.
Maddy
name
A nickname for the names Madeleine or Madison.
made
noun
(dialectal, archaic) A maggot or grub.
Madeira
noun
A fortified wine from the Portuguese island of Madeira, often used in cooking or served as a dessert wine.
madeleine
noun
A small, shell-shaped French sponge cake.
Madeline
name
A female given name, an anglicized form of Madeleine.
Madelyn
name
A female given name, a modern spelling variant of Madeline.
mademoiselle
noun
A polite title for an unmarried woman or young girl, especially in France.
Madero
name
A Spanish surname, borne notably by Francisco I. Madero, a president of Mexico and leader of the Mexican Revolution.
madge
noun
An informal name for the magpie or the barn owl in British dialect.
Madhav
name
A male given name used in India, referring to the Hindu deity Krishna.
Madhavi
name
A female given name used in India, from Sanskrit.
madhouse
noun
(dated) An institution for people with severe mental illness.
Madhu
name
A female given name used in India, from a Sanskrit word meaning "honey" or "sweet".
Madi
noun
A Central-Sudanic-speaking people living in parts of South Sudan and Uganda.
Madigan
name
An Irish surname and given name, from a Gaelic clan name.
Madison
name
A female given name, popularized after appearing in the 1984 film Splash.
madly
adv
In an extreme, intense, or uncontrolled way — often used with "in love".
madman
noun
A man who behaves in an insane, irrational, or extremely reckless way.
madness
noun
A state of serious mental illness; insanity.
mado
noun
Any of several small silvery reef fish in the genus Atypichthys, found around Australia and New Zealand.
Madonna
noun
An artistic depiction of the Virgin Mary, especially shown holding the infant Jesus.
Madras
noun
A spicy curry dish, typically made with a hot red-chilli-based sauce, said to originate from the Madras region of India.
Madrid
name
The capital and largest city of Spain.
Madsen
name
A Danish surname meaning "son of Mads," a Scandinavian form of Matthew.
Madurai
name
An ancient city in the state of Tamil Nadu, India, known for the Meenakshi Amman Temple.
madwoman
noun
A woman who is insane or severely mentally disturbed.
Maeda
name
A Japanese surname.
maelstrom
noun
A large, violent whirlpool.
maestro
noun
A master of an art, especially a distinguished composer, conductor, or performer.
Maeve
name
A female first name of Irish origin.
Mafia
noun
An organized crime syndicate built on secrecy, hierarchy, and intimidation, especially (capitalized) the Sicilian and Italian-American criminal network.
Mafioso
noun
A member of the Mafia.
mag
noun
Short, informal word for a magazine.
maga
adj
Supporting or associated with the political movement built around Donald Trump (from "Make America Great Again").
magazine
noun
A periodical publication containing articles, photos, or features by various writers, usually on a particular topic or aimed at a particular audience.
Magdalena
name
A female first name, a variant of Magdalene.
Magdalene
noun
A reformed prostitute (an older, now largely historical usage).
mage
noun
A magician, wizard, or sorcerer, especially in fantasy fiction and games.
Magee
name
A surname, an Anglicized variant of McGee.
Magellan
name
Ferdinand Magellan, the Portuguese explorer whose expedition made the first circumnavigation of the globe.
magenta
noun
A vivid pinkish-purple color, one of the primary colors used in color printing.
Maggie
noun
An informal name for a magpie or a similar-looking Australian bird such as the Australian magpie.
maggot
noun
The soft, legless larva of a fly, often found in decaying matter.
Maggy
name
A pet form of the name Margaret.
Magi
noun
The wise men from the East, traditionally three, said to have visited the infant Jesus bearing gifts.
magic
noun
The use of rituals, spells, or supernatural forces believed to influence events or beings beyond normal explanation.
magical
adj
Relating to or produced by magic.
magically
adv
By or as if by magic.
magician
noun
A performer of illusions and tricks designed to look like magic.
magister
noun
A historical title of respect or authority, especially for a licensed university teacher of philosophy or the liberal arts in the Middle Ages.
magistrate
noun
A judicial officer with limited authority who hears minor civil or criminal cases.
magma
noun
Molten rock beneath the Earth's surface, which becomes lava when it erupts.
Magna
name
A city in Salt Lake County, Utah.
magnanimous
adj
Generous and noble-minded, especially in forgiving an insult or overlooking a wrong.
magnate
noun
A wealthy and powerful person in business or industry.
magnesium
noun
A light, silvery-white metallic chemical element (atomic number 12) that burns with an intense white flame.
magnetic
adj
Having the properties of a magnet, especially the ability to attract iron or steel.
magnetism
noun
The physical property or force by which magnets attract or repel certain materials.
magneto
noun
A small generator that uses a rotating magnet to produce electric current, used to fire the spark plugs in some small engines (still common on aircraft).
magnification
noun
The act or process of making something look bigger, or the amount by which it is enlarged.
magnificence
noun
Great and impressive beauty, grandeur, or splendour.
magnificent
adj
Extremely beautiful, grand, or impressive in appearance.
magnificently
adv
In a grand, splendid, or highly impressive way.
magnifico
noun
A historical title for a nobleman or grandee of the old Republic of Venice.
magnified
adj
Made to look larger than actual size, typically through a lens or optical device.
magnify
verb
To make something look bigger, usually with a lens, microscope, or similar device.
magnitude
noun
The size, scale, or importance of something.
magnolia
noun
A tree or shrub with large, often fragrant flowers and simple leaves.
magnum
noun
A large wine bottle holding about 1.5 litres, twice the size of a standard bottle.
Magnus
name
A male first name, especially common in Scotland and Scandinavia.
Magog
name
A figure in the Bible, one of the sons of Japheth.
magpie
noun
A black-and-white bird of the crow family, known for its chattering call and reputed liking for shiny objects.
Mags
name
A pet form of the name Maggie, itself short for Margaret.
Maguire
name
An Irish surname.
magus
noun
A magician or sorcerer, sometimes used disapprovingly to mean a fraud or trickster.
mah
particle
A sentence-final particle (used in some varieties of English influenced by Cantonese) implying something is obvious.
maha
noun
Another name for the wanderoo, a species of monkey.
mahal
noun
A grand residence, mansion, or palace (as in the name Taj Mahal).
mahalo
intj
Thank you (used in Hawaiian and Hawaiian English).
Maharaj
name
A surname found especially among South Asian and Indo-Caribbean families.
maharaja
noun
A Hindu prince or king of high rank, especially in historical India, ranking above an ordinary raja.
Maharashtra
noun
A large state in western India, home to the city of Mumbai.
mahatma
noun
A title of deep respect given in India to someone regarded as having great wisdom and love for humanity.
Mahdi
noun
In Islamic belief, a foretold guided leader expected to appear and restore justice before the end of the world.
Mahendra
name
A male first name of Sanskrit origin.
Maher
name
A surname of Irish origin.
Mahesh
name
A male given name of Sanskrit origin, also used as a title of the Hindu god Shiva.
mahi
noun
Work needed to get a task done (used especially in New Zealand English).
mahjong
noun
A tile-based game, originally from China, usually played by four people with tiles divided into several suits.
Mahler
name
A surname, most famously borne by the composer Gustav Mahler.
Mahmud
name
A male given name of Arabic origin, meaning "praised" or "praiseworthy".
mahogany
noun
A hard, reddish-brown tropical wood prized for furniture-making, or the tree it comes from.
mahone
noun
A large armed ship historically used by the Ottoman Turks.
Mahoney
name
A surname of Irish origin.
Mai
name
A female given name, sometimes a variant spelling of "May" or "Mae".
Maia
name
In Greek mythology, the daughter of Atlas and mother of the god Hermes.
maid
noun
A woman employed to clean a house or do domestic work.
maiden
adj
Describing the first occurrence of something, such as a journey, speech, or attempt.
Maidens
name
A coastal village in South Ayrshire, Scotland.
maiko
noun
A young woman training to become a geisha in Japan.
mail
noun
Letters, parcels, and other items sent through the postal system.
mailbox
noun
A box where mail is delivered or collected.
mailed
adj
Protected by or covered in armor made of metal rings.
mailer
noun
A piece of advertising or promotional material sent by post or email.
mailing
noun
A piece of mail or a batch of mail sent out to many recipients at once.
mailman
noun
A person whose job is delivering mail to homes and businesses.
mailroom
noun
A room in an office or building where incoming and outgoing mail is sorted.
maim
verb
To injure someone so severely that part of their body is permanently damaged or disabled.
maimed
adj
Permanently injured, especially having lost the use of a limb.
main
adj
Most important; primary or chief.
Maine
name
A U.S. state in New England, known for its rocky coastline and lobster industry.
mainframe
noun
A large, powerful computer used by big organizations to handle huge volumes of data and many users at once.
mainland
noun
The main continuous landmass of a country or region, as opposed to its islands.
mainline
adj
Belonging to the principal, standard, or most widely accepted version of something.
mainly
adv
For the most part; chiefly.
mains
noun
The main electrical power supply connected to the public grid.
mainsail
noun
The largest sail on a sailboat, set on the main mast.
mainstream
adj
Widely accepted as normal or conventional, rather than niche or fringe.
maintain
verb
To keep something in its current, good condition over time.
maintained
adj
Kept in good condition through regular care.
maintaining
noun
The ongoing act of keeping something working, in good repair, or unchanged.
Mainwaring
name
A surname of Norman origin.
Mais
name
A surname, found in both English and German contexts.
Maisie
name
A pet form of the name Margaret.
Maison
name
A surname originally denoting someone connected to a house or household.
Maitland
name
A surname of Anglo-Norman origin.
maize
noun
A tall cereal plant with large ears of kernels; known as "corn" in American English.
majestic
adj
Impressively grand, dignified, or beautiful.
majesty
noun
Grandeur or impressive dignity, especially of something powerful or royal.
majid
name
A surname of Arabic origin.
major
adj
Of great importance, size, or seriousness.
majority
noun
More than half of a group or total.
majorly
adv
Very much; to a great extent (informal).
Mak
name
A surname of Chinese, Polish, Ukrainian, or Hungarian origin, depending on family background.
make
verb
To create, produce, or build something.
makeover
noun
A complete change to someone's or something's appearance or style.
maker
noun
A person, company, or thing that makes or produces something.
makeshift
adj
Put together quickly as a temporary, improvised solution.
makeup
noun
The way something is put together; its composition or make-up of parts.
maki
noun
Another name for the ring-tailed lemur.
making
noun
The act or process of creating, building, or producing something.
makings
noun
The essential ingredients, qualities, or materials needed to become or produce something.
Mako
name
A surname of Hungarian origin.
Maksim
name
A male first name, a Slavic form of Maximus.
mal
noun
Illness or affliction (used in medical and legal phrases borrowed from French, such as "mal de mer").
mala
noun
A string of prayer beads used in Hindu and Buddhist practice for counting repetitions of a mantra or chant.
Malachy
name
A male first name of Irish origin.
malady
noun
A disease or illness, especially one that is chronic or deep-rooted.
Malaga
name
A port city in southern Spain, capital of the province of the same name.
malaise
noun
A vague feeling of physical discomfort or unease, often an early sign of illness.
malaria
noun
A serious disease spread by mosquitoes, caused by a parasite that infects the blood and produces recurring fever.
malarkey
noun
Nonsense; empty or foolish talk.
Malawi
name
A landlocked country in Southern Africa.
Malay
adj
Relating to the Malay people, an ethnic group native to the Malay Peninsula and parts of nearby islands.
Malaya
name
A historical region and former British territory on the Malay Peninsula, now part of Malaysia.
Malayalam
noun
A language spoken mainly in the Indian state of Kerala.
Malaysia
name
A country in Southeast Asia made up of a peninsular region and part of the island of Borneo.
Malaysian
adj
Relating to the country of Malaysia.
Malcolm
name
A male first name of Scottish Gaelic origin.
Maldives
name
An island nation in the Indian Ocean known for its coral atolls and tourism.
Maldonado
name
A Spanish surname, also the name of a city in Uruguay.
male
adj
Of the sex that produces sperm rather than eggs, in humans, animals, or plants.
maleficent
adj
Causing harm, especially through evil intent.
Malek
name
A given name and surname of Arabic origin meaning "king," borne by actor Rami Malek.
Males
name
A surname, an occupational or patronymic English name.
malevolent
adj
Wishing harm on others; having ill will.
malfeasance
noun
Wrongdoing, especially illegal or unethical conduct by someone in a position of trust or authority.
malfunction
noun
A failure to work correctly, usually referring to equipment or a system.
malfunctioning
adjective
Not working correctly; failing to operate as it should.
Malhotra
name
A common Punjabi surname found among Hindus and Sikhs in India.
Mali
name
A landlocked country in West Africa.
malia
noun
A small songbird found only on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia.
malibu
name
A coastal city in California known for its beaches and surf culture.
malice
noun
The intention to harm someone or do something wrong or illegal.
malicious
adj
Intended to cause harm; showing ill will toward others.
maliciously
adv
In a way that is intended to cause harm.
Malick
name
A surname of Arabic origin, borne notably by American film director Terrence Malick.
malign
verb
To say untrue or unfair things about someone in order to damage their reputation.
malignant
adjective
Harmful or hostile in intent; wishing ill on others.
maligned
adjective
Spoken about unfairly or harshly; the target of unjust criticism.
Malik
noun
A tribal chief or headman, especially among Pashtun communities in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Malika
name
A female given name of Arabic origin meaning "queen," the feminine form of Malik.
Malin
name
A Scandinavian feminine given name, and also a surname; also the name of a headland in Ireland (Malin Head).
Malka
name
A feminine given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "queen."
Malkovich
name
A surname of Croatian origin, borne notably by actor John Malkovich.
mall
noun
A large building or complex of shops under one roof.
mallard
noun
A common wild duck found across the Northern Hemisphere; the male has a glossy dark green head.
malle
noun
A heavy hammer or beetle, often made of wood or lead.
malleable
adjective
Capable of being hammered or pressed into a new shape without breaking, as with certain metals.
mallet
noun
A hammer with a large head, usually made of wood or rubber, used to strike a tool or object without damaging it.
Mallika
name
A female given name of Sanskrit origin, also the name of Arabian jasmine.
Mallory
name
A given name and surname of French origin, historically meaning "unfortunate" or "unlucky."
Malloy
name
An Irish surname, an anglicized form of a Gaelic clan name.
malnourished
adjective
Suffering from a lack of proper nutrition.
malnutrition
noun
A condition caused by not getting enough of the right nutrients.
malo
noun
Short for malolactic fermentation, a winemaking process that softens a wine's acidity.
Malone
name
An Irish surname, borne by figures such as basketball player Karl Malone.
Maloney
name
An Irish surname, an anglicized form of a Gaelic clan name.
malpractice
noun
Improper or negligent treatment of a patient by a doctor or other professional, causing harm.
malt
noun
Grain, usually barley, that has been soaked and allowed to sprout before being dried, used in brewing beer and whisky.
Malta
name
A small island country in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily.
malted
adjective
Turned into or flavoured with malt.
Maltese
adjective
Relating to Malta, its people, or its language.
Malti
name
A feminine given name of Sanskrit origin, referring to a type of jasmine flower.
malu
noun
A traditional Samoan tattoo covering a woman's thighs and knees, marking cultural status.
malware
noun
Software created deliberately to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system.
mam
noun
An informal, affectionate word for one's mother, common in British and Irish English.
mama
noun
An affectionate, informal word for mother, often used by young children.
mamacita
noun
Slang for an attractive woman.
mamba
noun
Any of several highly venomous tree-dwelling snakes native to Africa, of the genus Dendroaspis.
mambo
noun
A lively Latin American dance and musical style that developed from the rumba in 1940s Cuba.
mami
noun
An informal, affectionate word for mother, or a slang term for an attractive woman.
Mamie
name
A feminine given name, originally a pet form of "Mary" or "Margaret," borne by First Lady Mamie Eisenhower.
mamma
noun
The milk-producing organ in female mammals, including the breast; anatomical term for the mammary gland.
mammal
noun
A warm-blooded vertebrate animal with hair or fur that feeds its young with milk.
mammogram
noun
An X-ray image of the breast used to detect early signs of breast cancer.
mammoth
noun
An extinct, elephant-like animal covered in shaggy hair, with long curved tusks, that lived during the Ice Age.
mammy
noun
An informal, affectionate word for mother.
mamo
noun
Either of two now-extinct Hawaiian honeycreeper species (genus Drepanis), prized historically for their yellow feathers.
man
noun
An adult male human being.
mana
noun
In Polynesian belief, a spiritual power or prestige said to reside in people, objects, or places.
manage
verb
To be in charge of running something, such as a business, team, or project.
manageable
adj
Able to be controlled, handled, or dealt with without excessive difficulty.
management
noun
The process of planning, organizing, and directing resources or people to achieve a goal.
manager
noun
A person responsible for running a business, department, team, or similar organization.
managerial
adj
Relating to a manager or to management duties and responsibilities.
managing
adj
Holding overall control or day-to-day responsibility, as in a job title.
Manami
name
A Japanese female given name.
Manassas
name
An independent city in northeastern Virginia, USA, the county seat of Prince William County and site of two major Civil War battles.
manatee
noun
A large, slow-moving plant-eating aquatic mammal (genus Trichechus) with a paddle-shaped tail, found in warm coastal waters and rivers.
Manav
name
A male given name of Sanskrit origin, used in India, related to the word for "human."
mancha
noun
A prized, high-quality grade of Spanish saffron.
Manchester
name
A major city in northwestern England, historically central to the Industrial Revolution and now known for music, football, and culture.
Manchu
noun
A member of the indigenous people of Manchuria, or a descendant of the ruling group of China's Qing dynasty.
Manchuria
name
A historical and geographic region of northeastern China, traditionally the homeland of the Manchu people.