Maelstrom (n): meyl-struhm
If you describe a situation as a maelstrom, you mean that it is very confused or violent = turmoil
She was a maelstrom of churning emotions
Magnanimity (n): mag-nuh-nim-i-tee
Magnanimity is kindness and generosity towards someone, especially after defeating them or being treated badly by them = generosity
She accepted the criticism with magnanimity
Magnate (n): mag-neyt
A magnate is someone who has earned a lot of money from a particular business or industry
The steel magnate decided to devote more time to city politics
Magnitude (n): mag-ni-tood
If you talk about the magnitude of something, you are talking about its great size, scale, or importance = greatness, extent
An operation of this magnitude is going to be difficult
Mainstay (n): meyn-stey (855)
If you describe something as the mainstay of a particular thing, you mean that it is the most basic part of it = A chief support
Education is the mainstay of my existence in this city, the rest will naturally follow
Malapropism (n): mal-uh-prop-iz-uhm
= misuues of words
Malapropism is common among users of English language
Malcontent (n): mal-kuhn-tent
You can describe people as malcontents when you disapprove of the fact that they are dissatisfied with a situation and want it to change
Silence gave the malcontents the chance they wanted
Malediction (n): mal-i-dik-shuhn
a wish that something bad will happen to someone = curse
It is a kind of malediction
Malefactor (n): mal-uh-fak-ter
A malefactor is someone who has done something bad or illegal = wrongdoer or criminal
We must try to bring these malefactors to justice
Malingerer (n): muh-ling-ger (860)
If someone is malingering, they pretend to be ill in order to avoid working
She was told by her doctor that she was malingering
Mall (n): mawl
A mall is a very large enclosed shopping area = shopping centre
Let's meet at the mall and go see a movie
Mammal (n): mam-uhl
Mammals are animals such as humans, dogs, lions, and whales In general, female mammals give birth to babies rather than laying eggs, and feed their young with milk
They are nocturnal and live on leaves, insects, small mammals and birds
Mandate (n): man-deyt
If a government or other elected body has a mandate to carry out a particular policy or task, they have the authority to carry it out as a result of winning an election or vote = order, charge
The President has asked the government to seek a fresh mandate from the people
Manifesto (n): man-uh-fes-toh
A manifesto is a statement published by a person or group of people, especially a political party, or a government, in which they say what their aims and policies are = declaration, statement of policy
The manifesto for the 1982 Assembly elections has fifteen paragraphs
Marauder (n): muh-rawd (865)
If you describe a group of people or animals as marauders, you mean they are unpleasant and dangerous, because they wander around looking for opportunities to steal or kill = bandit
You are nothing but a common marauder, eager to loot all the wealth that you can
Marrow (n): mar-oh
The marrow of something is the most important and basic part of it = crux
We're getting into the marrow of the film
Marsupial (n): mahr-soo-pee-uhl
A marsupial is an animal such as a kangaroo or an opossum Female marsupials carry their babies in a pouch on their stomach
Martinet (n): mahr-tn-et, mahr-tn-et
If you say that someone is a martinet, you are criticizing them because they are very strict and demand that people obey their rules and orders = very strict disciplinarian
He’s a retired Lieutenant Colonel and a bit of a martinet
Masochist (n): mas-uh-kiz-uhm, maz-
A person who derive pleasure from one’s own pain or humiliation
A masochist is however always linked with elements of sadism
Matricide (n): ma-tri-sahyd (870)
murder of a mother by a child
Matrix (n): mey-triks
A matrix is the environment or context in which something such as a society develops and grows = mold or die
Europe is remakingitself within the matrix of the European Union
Mausoleum (n): maw-suh-lee-uhm, -zuh-
A mausoleum is a building which contains the grave of a famous person or the graves of a rich family = tomb, sepulture
Am 80ft bronze statue and mausoleum in Vienna High Street would have been more appropriate
Maverick (n): mav-er-ik, mav-rik
If you describe someone as a maverick, you mean that they are unconventional and independent, and do not think or behave in the same way as other people= nonconformist
Her independence and maverick behaviour precluded any chance of promotion
Maxim (n): mak-sim
A maxim is a rule for good or sensible behaviour, especially one in the form of a saying = well-known phrase
I believe in the maxim ‘a stitch in time saves mine’
Mayhem (n): mey-hem, mey-uhm (875)
You use mayhem to refer to a situation that is not controlled or ordered, when people are behaving in a disorganized, confused, and often violent way = chaos
Their arrival caused mayhem as crowds of refugees rushed towards them
Meditation (n): med-i-tey-shuhn
Meditation is the act of thinking about something very carefully and deeply for a long time = contemplation, reflection, thought
Many busy executives have begun to practice yoga and meditation
Medley (n): med-lee
In music, a medley is a collection of different tunes or songs that are played one after the other as a single piece of music = mixture
This new album is a medley of all famous music directors
Melange (n): mey-lahnzh, -lahnj
A melange of things is a mixture of them, especially when this is attractive or exciting = mixture
At any point of time, you’ll find a melange of artists, writers, thinkers, etc, at the cafe
Melee (n): mey-ley
A melee is a noisy confusing fight between the people in a crowd = fight
A policeman was killed and scores of people were injured in the melee
Memento (n): muh-men-toh (880)
A memento is an object which you keep because it reminds you of a person or a special occasion = souvenir, token, reminder
I kept the bottle as a memento of my time in Spain
Mendicant (n): men-di-kuhnt
someone who asks people for money in order to live, usually for religious reasons
High rates of poverty and unemployment have caused a rise in mendicants
Mentor (n): men-tawr
A person’s mentor is someone who gives them help and advice over a period of time, especially help and advice related to their job = teacher
He was his friend and mentor until his death
Meringue (n): muh-rang
Meringue is a mixture of beaten egg whites and sugar which is baked in the oven
Mesa (n): mey-suh
A mesa is a large hill with a flat top and steep sides; used mainly of hills in the south-western United States = high, flat-topped hill
Metamorphosis (n): met-uh-mawr-fuh-sis (885)
When a metamorphosis occurs, a person or thing develops and changes into something completely different = transformation
The metamorphosis of caterpillar to butterfly is typical of many such changes in animal life
Metaphor (n): met-uh-fawr
If one thing is a metaphor for another, it is intended or regarded as a symbol of it = implied comparison
In the story, the author has used the term ‘disease’ as a metaphor for the corruption in the society
Metropolis (n): mi-trop-uh-lis
A metropolis is the largest, busiest, and most important city in a country or region = large city
The city has become a huge, bustling metropolis
Mettle (n): met-l
Someone’s mettle is their ability to do something well in difficult circumstances = courage; spirit
It is a kind of crisis which will test the minister's mettle
Mews (n): myoo
A mews is a street or small area surrounded by houses that were originally built as stables
The house is in a secluded mews
Miasma (n): mahy-az-muh (890)
You can describe something bad or confused that seems to be in the air all around you as a miasma = swamp gas, odor of decaying matter
After he lost his job, he seemed to sink into a miasma of poverty and despair
Microcosm (n): mahy-kruh-koz-uhm
A microcosm is a small society, place, or activity which has all the typical features of a much larger one and so seems like a smaller version of it = small world
All the problems of society can be seen here in microcosm
Mien (n): meen
Someone’s mien is their general appearance and manner, especially the expression on their face, which shows what they are feeling or thinking = demeanor, bearing
His aristocratic mien and smart clothes singles him out in the party
Milieu (n): mil-yoo, meel-; Fr mee-lyœ
Your milieu is the group of people or activities that you live among or are familiar with = environment
They stayed, safe and happy, within their own social millieu
Millennium (n): mi-len-ee-uhm
A millennium is a period of one thousand years, especially one which begins and ends with a year ending in `000', for example the period from the year 1000 to the year 2000
Let there be a new treaty that deals with the realities of a new millennium
Minaret (n): min-uh-ret (895)
A minaret is a tall thin tower which is part of a mosque
Minion (n): min-yuhn
If you refer to someone's minions, you are referring to people who have to do what that person tells them to do, especially unimportant or boring tasks = underling
She delegated the job to one of her minions
Mirage (n): mi-rahzh
If you describe something as a mirage, you mean that it is not real or true, although it may seem to be = unreal reflection, optical illusion
Perhaps we are just chasing a mirage
Misadventure (n): mis-uhd-ven-cher
A misadventure is an unfortunate incident = mischance, ill luck
A verdict of death by misadventure was recorded
Misanthrope (n): mis-uhn-throhp, miz-
A misanthrope is a person who does not like other people
Hitler was often called a misanthrope
Misapprehension (n): mis-ap-ri-hen-shuhn (900)
A misapprehension is a wrong idea or impression that you have about something = misunderstanding
Men still appear to be labouring under the misapprehension that women want hairy, muscular men
