English dictionary — definitions & meanings

Mitchum

name

A surname, notably borne by the American actor Robert Mitchum.

mite

noun

A tiny eight-legged creature related to ticks, often too small to see clearly.

mitigate

verb

To make something less severe, harmful, or serious.

mitigated

adj

Lessened, reduced, or diminished, and thereby made better, improved.

mitigating

adj

Making a fault, crime, or problem seem less serious.

mitigation

noun

The act of reducing the severity, seriousness, or impact of something harmful.

mito

noun

Short, informal term for mitochondrial disease, a group of disorders that affect how cells produce energy.

mitochondria

noun

The structures inside almost every plant and animal cell that convert food and oxygen into usable energy, in the form of ATP. The singular is mitochondrion.

mitochondrial

adj

Relating to mitochondria, the energy-producing structures within cells.

mitosis

noun

The process by which a cell divides to produce two new cells, each with a complete and identical set of chromosomes.

mitra

noun

A person who has taken an initial step toward becoming a practicing Buddhist within a community.

mitral

adj

Shaped like a bishop's mitre.

mitre

noun

A covering for the head, worn on solemn occasions by church dignitaries, which has been made in many forms, mostly recently a tall cap with two points or peaks.

Mitsubishi

noun

A vehicle made by the Japanese company Mitsubishi.

Mitsuko

name

A Japanese feminine given name.

mitt

noun

A mitten, or a similar padded, thumb-separated glove.

mitten

noun

A hand covering with one section for the thumb and a single pouch for the other four fingers.

Mittens

name

A common pet name for a cat, especially one with paws of a different color from the rest of its body.

Mitzi

name

A feminine given name of German origin, originally a pet form of Maria.

mitzvah

noun

One of the 613 commandments in Jewish religious law.

Miu

name

A Japanese feminine given name.

Miura

name

A Japanese surname.

mix

verb

To combine two or more substances or things together so they blend.

mixed

adj

Made up of different types or elements combined together.

Mixer

noun

A kitchen appliance used to blend or beat ingredients.

mixing

noun

The act or process of combining things, or the final blending stage of audio production.

mixling

noun

One who is of mixed ethnic or racial background; a hybrid; a cross-breed.

mixologist

noun

A person who creates cocktails, especially one considered an artist in that craft.

mixology

noun

The art of combining various ingredients to create cocktails.

mixture

noun

Something made by combining two or more different substances or elements.

miya

noun

A Japanese Shinto shrine.

Miyagi

name

A prefecture of Japan whose capital is Sendai, and a Japanese surname.

Miyako

name

A group of islands in Okinawa Prefecture, a city in Iwate Prefecture, and a Japanese feminine given name and surname.

Miyamoto

name

A Japanese surname.

Miyazaki

name

A prefecture and its capital city in Japan, and a Japanese surname notably borne by filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki.

Miyuki

name

A Japanese feminine given name.

Mizuno

noun

A piece of sports equipment, such as a shoe or glove, made by the Japanese sportswear brand of the same name.

Mizushima

name

A Japanese surname.

mizzle

verb

To rain in very fine drops.

ml

abbreviation

Millilitre, a unit of volume equal to one thousandth of a litre.

mM

noun

Abbreviation for millimetre, a unit of length equal to one-thousandth of a metre.

mmhmm

interjection

A drawn-out, nasal sound used to show agreement, understanding, or that you're listening.

mmm

intj

A sound made to express enjoyment or satisfaction, often with food.

mmmm

interjection

A drawn-out humming sound used to express pleasure, especially about taste or comfort.

MMS

noun

A text-style message that can carry photos, video, or audio, sent over a mobile network.

mneme

noun

Persisting effect of memory of past events.

mnemon

noun

In Ancient Greek society, a person holding the office of recorder or archivist.

mnemonic

adj

Helping someone remember something, especially a pattern of letters, words, or ideas.

mnemonical

adj

Assisting in memory; mnemonic.

mnemonically

adv

Through the use of mnemonics.

mnemonicon

noun

Synonym of mnemonic (“aid to memory”).

mnemosyne

name

A Titaness and the personification of thought, intellect and memory, who is the daughter of Gaia and Uranus, and the mother of the Muses by Zeus.

mnemotechnic

adj

Of or pertaining to mnemotechny.

mnemotechnical

adj

Of or pertaining to mnemotechny.

mnemotechnist

noun

One who studies mnemotechny, the practice of improving one's memory.

mnh

interjection

A short nasal sound used to show quiet satisfaction, especially after a good meal or moment of relief.

Mo

adv

Informal shortening of "moment"; used in phrases like "half a mo" or "wait a mo."

moai

noun

One of the giant carved stone figures found on Easter Island.

moan

noun

A low, drawn-out sound expressing pain, sadness, or pleasure.

Moana

name

A Polynesian unisex given name meaning "sea" or "ocean," also the name of coastal towns in New Zealand.

moaner

noun

One who makes a moaning sound.

moaning

noun

The act of making a moan, or ongoing complaining.

moat

noun

A deep, wide ditch, usually filled with water, dug around a castle or fort for defence.

mob

noun

A large, disorderly crowd, especially one acting in an unruly or aggressive way.

mobbed

adj

Crowded, especially with a rush of people.

mobile

adj

Able to move or be moved easily, rather than staying fixed in one place.

mobilise

verb

To organize and prepare people or resources for action, especially military action.

mobility

noun

The ability to move around freely or easily.

mobilization

noun

The act of organizing people or resources and getting them ready for action, especially military action.

mobilize

verb

To organize and prepare people or resources for a particular purpose, especially war.

mobilized

adj

Organized and made ready for action.

Mobius

name

A surname of German origin, a variant of Möbius.

Mobley

name

A surname.

mobster

noun

A member of an organized crime gang, especially the Mafia.

moby

noun

(slang) A mobile phone.

mocambique

name

Dated spelling of Mozambique

mocha

noun

A coffee drink made with chocolate, or the chocolate-coffee flavour itself.

mochaccino

noun

The coffee drink cappuccino made with chocolate.

mock

verb

To make fun of someone, often by imitating them; to ridicule.

mocker

noun

A person who mocks.

mockery

noun

Ridicule; the act of making fun of someone or something.

mocking

adj

Showing scorn or ridicule; teasing in a mean-spirited way.

mockingbird

noun

A songbird, especially of the genus Mimus, known for imitating the calls of other birds.

mockingly

adv

In a way that ridicules or teases someone.

mockup

noun

A visual model showing how a design will look when finished, made so it can be reviewed before anything is built.

moctezuma

name

Aztec emperor from 1440 to 1469.

mod

verb

(informal) To modify something, especially to customize or improve its performance.

modal

noun

In software and web design, a window or box that opens on top of a page and blocks interaction with everything behind it until you close it or respond.

modality

noun

A particular method or way in which something is done or experienced.

mode

noun

A particular way or method of doing something.

model

noun

A small-scale or simplified copy of something, used to represent it.

modeled

adj

Shaped or designed based on a particular pattern or example.

modeler

noun

a person who makes models, especially from a plastic medium such as clay

modeling

noun

The profession of posing for fashion, art, or advertising.

modelling

noun

British spelling of "modeling."

modem

noun

A device that converts digital signals into a form that can travel over phone or cable lines, and back again, allowing computers to connect to a network.

moderate

adj

Neither too much nor too little; reasonable in amount or degree.

moderately

adv

To a reasonable or middling degree; not excessively.

moderateness

noun

the quality of being moderate

moderation

noun

The avoidance of extremes; restraint.

moderator

noun

A person who oversees a debate, meeting, or discussion to keep it fair and orderly.

modern

adj

Relating to the present time or recent style, rather than the past.

modernise

verb

Non-Oxford British English standard spelling of modernize.

modernity

noun

The quality or condition of being modern or contemporary.

modernization

noun

The act, process, or result of modernizing.

modernize

verb

To make something up to date by adding or updating equipment, design, or methods.

modernizing

adj

Reformist; tending to modernize.

modernness

noun

the property of being modern

modest

adj

Not boastful about one's achievements or abilities.

modestly

adv

In a humble, unassuming manner.

Modesto

name

A city in California, United States, the county seat of Stanislaus County.

modesty

noun

The quality of not boasting about one's abilities or achievements; humility.

Modi

name

A surname of Gujarati origin, notably borne by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

modicum

noun

A small amount of something.

modifiable

adj

Capable of being modified; subject to modification.

modification

noun

A change made to something, especially one that adjusts it without changing its basic nature.

modified

adj

Changed or adjusted from an original form.

modifier

noun

One who, or that which, modifies.

modify

verb

To change part of something, usually without altering its overall nature.

modish

adj

Conforming with fashion or style.

modishness

noun

The property of being modish.

modiste

noun

A person who makes or sells fashionable women's clothing, especially dresses or hats.

modular

adj

Made up of separate, interchangeable parts or units.

modularized

adj

Having or made up of modules

modulation

noun

Modification or regulation of something to achieve an appropriate measure or proportion; (countable) an instance of this.

modulator

noun

A person or device that adjusts or regulates something, especially a signal.

module

noun

A self-contained, often interchangeable part of a larger system.

modus

noun

A particular way of doing something or arranging the terms of an agreement.

modus operandi

noun

The particular way in which a person or organisation habitually does something, especially a pattern recognisable across repeated occasions.

moe

noun

An intense, often fetishistic fondness for fictional characters from anime, manga, or video games.

Moffat

name

A town in Dumfriesshire, Scotland, and a Scottish habitational surname derived from it.

moffatt

name

A surname from Scottish Gaelic.

moffett

name

A surname from Scottish Gaelic.

moffitt

name

A surname from Scottish Gaelic.

mofo

noun

Syllabic abbreviation of motherfucker.

mog

verb

To manifest effortless dominance through self-evident superior handsomeness, especially with composure and by quiet comparison.

Mogadishu

name

The capital and largest city of Somalia, on the country's Indian Ocean coast.

moggy

noun

A domestic cat, especially (depreciative or derogatory) a non-pedigree or unremarkable cat.

moghul

noun

A head of the Timurid dynasty founded by Zahīr-ud-Dīn Muhammad Bābur (1483-1530) which controlled large parts of southern Asia from the 16th to the 19th centuries.

mogo

noun

Cassava, a starchy root vegetable widely eaten in parts of Africa, the Caribbean, and South America.

Mogul

noun

A rich, powerful, or highly influential person, especially in business or entertainment.

mohammad

name

A male given name from Arabic: alternative spelling of Muhammad.

mohammed

name

A male given name from Arabic: alternative spelling of Muhammad.

mohammedan

adj

Muslim, Islamic.

Mohan

name

A masculine given name and surname of Sanskrit origin, meaning "charming" or "enchanting."

Mohawk

noun

A member of the Mohawk people, one of the Iroquois nations of North America originally from the Mohawk Valley in New York.

mohican

name

An indigenous people of New England; the Mohicans.

Mohini

name

A feminine given name of Sanskrit origin, also the name of a female avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu.

Mohit

name

A masculine given name of Sanskrit origin used in India.

mohon

name

A surname from Irish.