Word origins

• mentalitéA person's feelings about the wider society and world they live in, and their place within it; a worldview, outlook.
• merguezA red, spicy sausage from North Africa, made with lamb or beef.
• méridienneAn asymmetrical daybed with a high head-rest, and a lower foot-rest, joined by a sloping piece.
• MérigonA village in Ariège department, France.
• meringue glacéice cream with a casing of meringue
• merlonAny of the upright projections between the embrasures of a battlement, originally for archers to shield behind while shooting arrows over the embrasures, or through loopholes in the merlons.
• merveilleuseA fashionable young Frenchwoman of the late 18th-century, characterized by extravagant dress sense and anti-revolutionary ideas.
• merveilleuxContemporary names for an extravagantly dressed French fop or ‘fine lady’ of the period of the Directory (1795–1799), who affected a revival of the classical costume of Ancient Greece.
• mésallianceMarriage with a person of inferior social position.
• mesoplastroneither of a pair of transverse hexagonal bones in a turtle that lie between the hyoplastral and hypoplastral bones
• mesoscapheA submersible submarine designed for drifting on sea currents in the middle depth layers of the ocean.
• MessacA surname from French.
• MessidorThe tenth month of the French Republican Calendar, from June 19 or 20 to July 18 or 19.
• MessineOf or relating to the city of Metz
• metayerOne who cultivates land for a share (usually half) of its yield, receiving stock, tools, and seed from the landlord.
• MetgeA surname.
• méthode champenoiseThe method of producing sparkling wine by secondary fermentation in bottle, as used in the production of champagne.
• métierAny activity that is pursued as a trade or profession; a calling.
• -metricForming adjectives corresponding to nouns in -meter.
• meunièreOf fish: dredged in flour before being sautéd or pan-fried.
• MèzeA town in Hérault department, France.
• midinetteA female salesperson, a shopgirl, especially in Paris.
• MiglosA village in Ariège department, France.
• mignardiseA bite-sized dessert sometimes served at the end of a meal.
• mignonette sauceA condiment usually made with minced shallots, cracked pepper, and vinegar, and traditionally served with raw oysters.
• MijanèsA village in Ariège department, France.
• mille-feuilleA type of pastry made of several layers of puff pastry usually filled with cream or custard, and topped with icing or sugar.
• milleporeAny coral of the genus Millepora, having the surface nearly smooth, and perforated with very minute unequal pores, or cells.
• milliardaireA billionaire; somebody whose wealth is greater than one milliard (10⁹) dollars, or other currency.
• millierSynonym of metric ton, 1000 kg.
• millimeA unit of currency equal to one thousandth of a Tunisian dinar.
• minauderieAffectation; an affected remark or behaviour.
• minaudièreA woman who is exaggeratedly affected or coquettish.
• minceurslenderness
• minorantA function, all of whose values are not greater than the corresponding values of another function.
• MiquelonnaisA person from the island of Miquelon.
• mirabelle plumA sweet, edible drupaceous fruit of the mirabelle prune tree, a cultivar of the plum tree of the subspecies Prunus domestica subsp. syriaca, often used in pies, wine, and brandy.
• mise en abymeA recursive image; an image that contains a smaller representation of itself; especially where the smaller representation itself likewise contains a still smaller representation of the whole image, ad infinitum.
• mise-en-pagelayout (process, and result, of arranging media content for publishing)
• mise en placeA form of preparation that involves having ingredients and equipment ready in advance, so that only cooking is required.
• mise en scèneA physical environment; surroundings.
• misèreA bid to lose every trick, or the majority of tricks, with no trumps.
• mistelleA drink produced by adding alcohol to grape juice.
• MistralianOf or pertaining to Frédéric Mistral
• mitrailladeMass execution by cannon shot or (later) machine-gun, especially during the French Revolution.
• mitrailleuseA breech-loading machine gun consisting of a number of barrels fitted together, so arranged that the barrels can be fired simultaneously, or successively, and rapidly.
• mixityThe state of being mixed.
• modistA follower of fashion.
• moellonrubble used in masonry
• MohéliAn island of the Comoros, one of the three major islands that make up the country.
• moiréA pattern that emerges when two grids are superimposed over one another, sometimes unintended or undesirable in many applications, such as in weaving, screenprinting, and halftoning.
• MoisonA surname from French
• MoissanA surname from French
• MoissonA surname from French
• MoleneAn island off Brittany, France.
• molinetA short rod that was used for stirring hot chocolate drinks before emulsifiers were available.
• molletonA kind of thick woollen material, once important in the Canada trade.
• monarchismRule by a monarchy.
• MonestimeA surname from French.
• MonflanquinA village in Lot-et-Garonne department, France.
• monitricedoula (one who provides support during pregnancy and childbirth)
• monomaneA monomaniac.
• monoxylea canoe or boat made from a single piece of timber
• Monsieur de ParisThe public executioner in Paris, France.
• monstre sacréA striking, unusual public figure; an eccentric celebrity.
• MontaillouA village in Ariège department, Occitania, France.
• mont blancA dessert consisting of chestnut purée which has been riced or extruded into vermicelli-like noodles.
• Mont-BlancA municipality of Les Laurentides Regional County Municipality, Laurentides, Quebec, Canada
• MontbrunA surname from French.
• Montceau-les-MinesA commune of Saône-et-Loire department, Bourgogne-Franche-Comté, France.
• MontferratA historical region of Piedmont, Italy, comprising parts of Asti and Alessandria.
• MontferrerMontferrer (a village and commune of Pyrénées-Orientales department, Occitania, France, formerly in the Vallespir district of Northern Catalonia).
• MonthieuA surname from French.
• Montjoie-en-CouseransA village and commune of Ariège department, France.
• MontlhéryA commune in Essonne department, Île-de-France, France.
• MontmartroisOf or relating to Montmartre.
• MontminyA surname from French.
• Montreuil-sur-MerA commune in Pas-de-Calais Department, Hauts-de-France, France.
• Monts DoreThe remnant peaks of a volcanic massif situated near the center of the Massif Central, in the Auvergne region of France.
• montureA mounting, setting, or frame.
• MonvilleA surname from French.
• MoquetA surname from French.
• morcellementSynonym of morcellation.
• morellenightshade
• MoresnetA village and sub-municipality in Liège, Wallonia, Belgium.
• mornéRampant without teeth, beak, tongue, claws, etc.
• mot d'ordreA watchword or slogan; a statement of policy, a plan.
• mot justeThe perfectly appropriate word or phrase for the situation.
• moucharabyA mashrabiyya.
• mouchardAn undercover investigator; a police spy, especially in a French-speaking country.
• mouchoirA handkerchief.
• moueA pout, especially as expressing mock-annoyance or flirtatiousness.
• mouilléDescribing a palatal or palatalized consonant, particularly one historically derived from /l/ or /n/.
• mouillureSynonym of palatalization.
• moulageThe art of applying mock injuries for the purpose of training medical or military personnel.
• moules marinièresA French dish made from cooked mussels and onions in a white wine marinade.
• moulinageThe operation of reeling off, twisting, and doubling raw silk.
• Moulin-à-VentA variety of Beaujolais wine.
• moulinetteA food mill.
• MourvèdreA variety of black grape originally from Spain.