Nouns - 19(901-950)


Miscegenation (n):  mi-sej-uh-ney-shuhn
marriage or cohabitation between a man and woman of different races = intercast marriage
Laws prohibiting miscegenation in the United States date back as early as 1661 and were common in many states until 1967

Miscellany (n):  mis-uh-ley-nee
A miscellany of things is a collection or group of many different kinds of things = assortment
He earned his living from a miscellany of jobs

Mischance (n):  mis-chans
Bad luck, or a situation that results from bad luck
If by some mischance the government get elected again, I think taxes will rise

Miscreant (n):  mis-kree-uhnt
A miscreant is someone who has done something illegal or behaved badly = wretch, villain
Police found it tough to seperate miscreants from the fans

Misdemeanour (n):  mis-di-mee-ner (905)
A misdemeanour is an act that some people consider to be wrong or unacceptable  = minor offense, peccadillo
The father was particular not to let go off any misdemeanour lest it grows to be a habitual action

Misgiving (n):  mis-giv-ing
If you have misgivings about something that is being suggested or done, you feel that it is not quite right, and are worried that it may have unwanted results
She had some misgiving about what she was about to so

Mishap (n):  mis-hap
A mishap is an unfortunate but not very serious event that happens to someone = accident
After a number of mishaps she did manage to get back to India

Misnomer (n):  mis-noh-mer
If you say that a word or name is a misnomer, you mean that it describes something incorrectly
Herbal ‘tea’ is something of a misnomer because these drinks contain no tea at all

Misogamy (n):  mi-sog-uh-mee, mahy-
If you say that a word or name is a misnomer, you mean that it describes something incorrectly
Failed marriages are creating misogamy in today’s youth

Misogynist (n):  mi-soj-uh-nee, mahy- (910)
A misogynist is a man who dislikes women
He is still, in the eyes of some, an irrredeemable misogynist

Missile (n):  mis-uhl
Anything that is thrown as a weapon can be called a missile
The football supporters began throwing missiles, one of which hit the referee

Mite (n):  mahyt
A mite means to a small extent or degree It is sometimes used to make a statement less extreme = a bit, a touch
Poor mite! You must be starving!

Mode (n):  mohd
A mode is a particular style in art, literature, or dress = prevailing style
They have a relaxed mode of life that suits them well

Modicum (n):  mod-i-kuhm
A modicum of something, especially something that is good or desirable, is a reasonable but not large amount of it
England stil expects a modicum of eccentricity in its artists

Modulation (n):  moj-uh-ley-shuhn (915)
to change a process or activity to make it more controlled, slower, less strong etc
The famine turned the normal modulation of climate into disaster

Moiety (n):  moi-i-tee
A half share

Molecule (n):  mol-uh-kyoo
A molecule is the smallest amount of a chemical substance which can exist by itself
There are two hydrogen bonds between water molecules

Momentum (n):  moh-men-tuhm
If a process or movement gains momentum, it keeps developing or happening more quickly and keeps becoming less likely to stop = impetus
This campaign is really gaining momentum

Monotheism
 (n):  mon-uh-thee-iz-uhm
If you say that someone speaks in monosyllables you mean that they speak very little, usually because they do not want to have a conversation
Abraham was the first to proclaim his belief in monotheism

Moodiness (n):  moo-dee (920)
fits of depression or gloom
His moodiness may have been caused by his poor health

Moor (n):  moor
A moor is an area of open and usually high land with poor soil that is covered mainly with grass and heather
Ireland and Scotland are famous for their loney but lovely moors

Moratorium (n)    :  mawr-uh-tawr-ee-uhm
A moratorium on a particular activity or process is the stopping of it for a fixed period of time, usually as a result of an official agreement = legal delay of some activity
The House voted to impose a one- year moratorium on nuclear testing

Mores (n):  mawr-eyz, -eez, mohr-
The mores of a particular place or group of people are the customs and behaviour that are typically found in that place or group = traditions
The mores of Latin America are like that of Europe, more or less

Mortician (n):  mawr-tish-uhn
A mortician is a person whose job is to deal with the bodies of people who have died and to arrange funerals = undertaker

Mote (n):  moht (925)
A very small piece of dust = speck

Motif (n):  moh-teef
A motif is a design which is used as a decoration or as part of an artistic pattern = leitmotif
The motif of these volumes is that solitude is the richness of the soul, loneliness is its poverty

Motility (n):  moht-l, moh-til
Ability to move spontaneously
Certain organisms exhibit remarkable motility

Mountebank
 (n):  moun-tuh-bangk
A dishonest person who tricks and deceives people = charlatan
Natwar Lal was the famous mountebank of India

Mugwump (n):  muhg-wuhmp
defector from a party

Multiplicity (n):  muhl-tuh-plis-i-tee (930)
A multiplicity of things is a large number or a large variety of them = state of being numerous, many
Multiplicity of courses are available to language students

Murkiness (n):  mur-kee
The murk is darkness, dark water, or thick mist that is very difficult to see through = darkness, gloom
All of a sudden a tall old man in a black cloak loomed out of the murk

Murrain (n):  mur-in
plague; cattle disease

Myriad (n):  mir-ee-uhd
A myriad or myriads of people or things is a very large number or great variety of them = very large number
They face a myriad of problems bringing up children

Nadir 
(n):  ney-der
The nadir of something such as someone's career or the history of an organization is its worst time = lowest point
By 1932, the depression had reached its nadir

Naïveté (n):  nah-eev-tey (935)
Quality of being unsophisticated

Natation (n):  ney-tey-shuhn
Swimming
Natation is good for health

Nave 
(n):  neyv
The nave of a church is the long central part where people gather to worship

Necromancy (n):  nek-ruh-man-see
Necromancy is magic that some people believe brings a dead person back to this world so that you can talk to them = sorcery
In India, some old men indulge in necromancy

Necrology (n):  nuh-krol-uh-jee
Obituary notice; list of the dead

Negation (n):  ni-gey-shuhn (940)
Negation is disagreement, refusal, or denial = denial
He shook his head in silent negation

Nemesis (n):  nem-uh-sis
The nemesis of a person or thing is a situation, event, or person which causes them to be seriously harmed, especially as a punishment
The corruption charges proved to be his political nemisis at the election

Neophyte (n):  nee-uh-fahyt
A neophyte is someone who is new to a particular activity  = beginner, novice
All other players are neophytes in comparison to Sachin Tendulkar

Nepotism (n):  nep-uh-tiz-uhm
Nepotism is the unfair use of power in order to get jobs or other benefits for your family or friends
Many will regard his appointment  as an example of nepotism British banking ought to avoid

Nexus (n):  nek-suhs
A nexus is a connection or series of connections within a particular situation or system = a connection
The judiciary ordered a probe into the alleged nexus between the movie industry and the underworld dons

Nib (n):  nib (945)
Someone in authority or someone who thinks they are important
And how's his nibs this morning?

Nicety (n):  nahy-si-tee
The niceties of a situation are its details, especially with regard to good manners or the appropriate behaviour for that situation = precision, minute distinction
He wasted no time with social niceties

Nihilism (n):  nahy-uh-liz-uhm, nee-
Nihilism is a belief which rejects all political and religious authority and current ideas in favour of the individual
Nihilism was the center-point of all Nazi policies towards the Jews

Nirvana (n):  nir-vah-nuh
In the Hindu and Buddhist religions, Nirvana is the highest spiritual state that can possibly be achieved
Entering the realm of Nirvana is only possible for those who have become pure

Nonchalance (n):  non-shuh-lahns
the  state  or  quality  of  being  nonchalant;  cool  indifference  or  lack  of  concern = indifference,  lack of interest
Affecting nonchalance, I handed her two hundred dollar bills

Nonentity (n):  non-en-ti-tee (950)
If you refer to someone as a nonentity, you mean that they are not special or important in any way  = nobody, nonexistence, person of no importance
He's famous in Europe, but a nonentity in the US