Word origins

• mesostichAn acrostic that spells out a word or message with its middle letters.
• MessapianA member of the ancient inhabitants of the region of Apulia in Southern Italy.
• metabolyThe change in shape undergone by euglenids as they move or evolve
• metachronismAn error in chronological ordering in which a character or an event is placed at too late a time.
• metachroticExhibiting or relating to metachrosis.
• metacommunicationCommunication or discussion, especially involving academic analysis, about communication itself.
• metalepsyExchange; replacement; substitution; metathesis.
• metallo-metal
• metaniaprostration as an expression of reverence in a church
• metaphraseA literal, word-for-word translation.
• metaphysisThe part of a long bone that grows during development.
• metasomatiteA metasomatic rock.
• metavanuraliteA triclinic lemon mineral containing aluminum, hydrogen, oxygen, uranium, and vanadium.
• metaxymiddle ground
• metemorphotheThe Transfiguration of Christ.
• meteorismA rapid accumulation of gas in the intestine. It is typically a sign of bowel necrosis from bacterial infection, a life-threatening surgical emergency, and is usually caused by the consumption of large quantities of undercooked pork.
• methexisAn originally Ancient Greek form of theatre in which the audience participates and improvises.
• metho-Methyl.
• methomaniaalcoholism
• metochionAn ecclesiastical embassy church within Eastern Orthodox tradition.
• metopionA craniometric point midway between the frontal eminences.
• metriopatheiaModeration of the passions.
• metropoliteA metropolitan (bishop).
• miasmatistA supporter of the theory of miasmatism.
• microbionA microbe.
• microdrileAny relatively small, generally aquatic, oligochaete, a member of a sometimes used size-based division of the class Oligochaeta.
• microlithicFormed of small stones.
• micromeliaThe condition in which a limb is abnormally shortened.
• micropachycephalosaurusa very small pachycephalosaurid, ornithischian dinosaur of the genus Micropachycephalosaurus.
• microphanerophyteAny phanerophyte between 2 and 8 metres in height
• micropsiaA disorder in which objects appear much smaller than normal, most often the result of a neurological dysfunction.
• micropyleIn seed-bearing plants, a small opening in the integuments of the ovule through which sperm are able to access the ovum.
• microsemeHaving the orbital index relatively narrow, therefore having eye sockets far away.
• microstheneAny of a group of mammals characteristically of small size, including various rodents (used in the 19th century by James Dana to classify animals, but not adopted thereafter)
• -micticRefers to the manner in which a body of water stratifies.
• micto-mixed
• mimemeA unit of mimetic information.
• mimetismmimicry
• mimetiteAn arsenate mineral which forms in lead deposits, usually by the oxidation of galena and arsenopyrite.
• MintheA nymph (associated with Mount Minthe in southern Greece) with whom Hades had an affair before the taking of Persephone and she complained in jealousy that she is more nobler in form than Persephone(his wife) and when Demeter(her mother) heard of it, she trampled the nymph under her foot and turned the her into herb mint.
• miracidiumA free-living motile form of a trematode, covered with cilia, which settles in a mollusc intermediate host to become a sporocyst
• -misicHating (something); averse to (something).
• miso-hatred; dislike; aversion
• misocapnicDisliking smoking and tobacco smoke.
• misocapnistOne who hates tobacco smoke.
• misogelastOne who hates laughter.
• misologyHatred or fear of reasoning or argument.
• misthanasiaThe premature death of a vulnerable human due to a failure to provide appropriate help in the context of social injustice.
• mito-Thread.
• mitomeThe denser part of the protoplasm of a cell.
• miurusA dactylic hexameter with short penultimate syllable.
• mixisreproduction by the fusion of gametes
• mnemo-memory
• MoesiA Daco-Thracian tribe who inhabited present-day Serbia and Bulgaria, part of the then Roman province of Moesia.
• mogigraphiaWriter's cramp.
• mogiphoniaDifficulty in speaking, triggered by the effort of singing or speaking loudly.
• MoiraeThe Fates, Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, the goddesses, who controlled every person's destiny by weaving the thread of life.
• moirailA soulmate or life partner, especially one who exerts a calming influence.
• moirologistA professional mourner.
• MolossiaA region of ancient Epirus, the territory of the Molossians.
• molossusA metrical foot of three long syllables.
• molybdomancydivination by interpreting shapes formed when molten metal, typically lead or tin, is dropped into water.
• molybdophylliteA hexagonal-trapezohedral mineral containing hydrogen, lead, magnesium, oxygen, and silicon.
• momistA persistent critic
• monachopsisThe persistent sense that one is out of place or otherwise does not belong.
• monimolimnionThe lower, dense stratum of a meromictic lake (one with permanently stratified layers) that does not mix with the waters above.
• monimoliteAn isometric-hexoctahedral mineral containing antimony, calcium, lead, and oxygen.
• monimostylyunion of the quadrate and squamosal, not permitting movement
• mono-one, single, only
• monochromacyThe quality of having only one independent channel for conveying color information in the eye, i.e. total color blindness.
• monocrotismA condition in which the pulse curve or sphygmogram shows only a single crest, the dicrotic elevation entirely disappearing.
• monodelphOne of the Monodelphia.
• monodomyThe situation where an ant colony is established at a single nest site.
• monomathA person with an extensive knowledge of a single subject or field, but little knowledge of others.
• monomicticHaving layers of water that intermix only once per year.
• monoousianHaving one and the same nature or essence, especially with regard to the persons of the Trinity.
• monophthongA vowel (in the sense of a sound rather than a letter of the alphabet) that has the same sound throughout its pronunciation, such as the short vowels in "pap", "pep", "pip", "pop" and "pup", as opposed to a diphthong (eg, /aɪ/, the vowel in "pipe") or a triphthong (eg, /aɪə/, the sound in the non-rhotic pronunciation of "pyre").
• monophyodontHaving only one set of teeth.
• monoplasticThat has one form, or that retains its primary form.
• monostichA poem having only one line.
• MonotessaronA harmony of the four Gospels.
• monothalamousWhose spikelets are all similar.
• mormoA bugbear or invented monster.
• morosisidiocy; fatuity; stupidity
• -morphichaving a specific shape or form
• morpho-shape, form, or morphology.
• morphoticConnected with, or becoming an integral part of, a living unit or of the morphological framework.
• muographyAn imaging technique that makes use of muons.
• my-Relating to muscle
• -myceteUsed to form words used for categorising fungi based on their evolutionary origin, life history, growth form, or ecological preferences.
• mycetefungus
• mycetismPoisoning caused by mushrooms.
• -mycinUsed to form names of antibiotics produced by Streptomyces strains.
• mycomelic acidA complex nitrogenous acid of the alloxan group, obtained as a honey-yellow powder and forming gelatinous solutions.
• mycterismA subtle or scornful jibe.
• mydaleineA ptomaine obtained from putrid flesh and herring brines.
• mydatoxinA poisonous amido acid, C₆H₁₃NO₂, originally obtained from decaying horseflesh and similar in action to curare.
• mydausThe teledu.
• myelo-Bone marrow.
• myelonThe spinal cord.