English Dictionary — Definitions & Meanings

Maher

name

A surname of Irish origin.

Mahesh

name

A male given name of Sanskrit origin, also used as a title of the Hindu god Shiva.

mahi

noun

Work needed to get a task done (used especially in New Zealand English).

mahjong

noun

A tile-based game, originally from China, usually played by four people with tiles divided into several suits.

Mahler

name

A surname, most famously borne by the composer Gustav Mahler.

Mahmud

name

A male given name of Arabic origin, meaning "praised" or "praiseworthy".

mahogany

noun

A hard, reddish-brown tropical wood prized for furniture-making, or the tree it comes from.

mahone

noun

A large armed ship historically used by the Ottoman Turks.

Mahoney

name

A surname of Irish origin.

Mai

name

A female given name, sometimes a variant spelling of "May" or "Mae".

Maia

name

In Greek mythology, the daughter of Atlas and mother of the god Hermes.

maid

noun

A woman employed to clean a house or do domestic work.

maiden

adj

Describing the first occurrence of something, such as a journey, speech, or attempt.

Maidens

name

A coastal village in South Ayrshire, Scotland.

maiko

noun

A young woman training to become a geisha in Japan.

mail

noun

Letters, parcels, and other items sent through the postal system.

mailbox

noun

A box where mail is delivered or collected.

mailed

adj

Protected by or covered in armor made of metal rings.

mailer

noun

A piece of advertising or promotional material sent by post or email.

mailing

noun

A piece of mail or a batch of mail sent out to many recipients at once.

mailman

noun

A person whose job is delivering mail to homes and businesses.

mailroom

noun

A room in an office or building where incoming and outgoing mail is sorted.

maim

verb

To injure someone so severely that part of their body is permanently damaged or disabled.

maimed

adj

Permanently injured, especially having lost the use of a limb.

main

adj

Most important; primary or chief.

Maine

name

A U.S. state in New England, known for its rocky coastline and lobster industry.

mainframe

noun

A large, powerful computer used by big organizations to handle huge volumes of data and many users at once.

mainland

noun

The main continuous landmass of a country or region, as opposed to its islands.

mainline

adj

Belonging to the principal, standard, or most widely accepted version of something.

mainly

adv

For the most part; chiefly.

mains

noun

The main electrical power supply connected to the public grid.

mainsail

noun

The largest sail on a sailboat, set on the main mast.

mainstream

adj

Widely accepted as normal or conventional, rather than niche or fringe.

maintain

verb

To keep something in its current, good condition over time.

maintained

adj

Kept in good condition through regular care.

maintaining

noun

The ongoing act of keeping something working, in good repair, or unchanged.

Mainwaring

name

A surname of Norman origin.

Mais

name

A surname, found in both English and German contexts.

Maisie

name

A pet form of the name Margaret.

Maison

name

A surname originally denoting someone connected to a house or household.

Maitland

name

A surname of Anglo-Norman origin.

maize

noun

A tall cereal plant with large ears of kernels; known as "corn" in American English.

majestic

adj

Impressively grand, dignified, or beautiful.

majesty

noun

Grandeur or impressive dignity, especially of something powerful or royal.

majid

name

A surname of Arabic origin.

major

adj

Of great importance, size, or seriousness.

majority

noun

More than half of a group or total.

majorly

adv

Very much; to a great extent (informal).

Mak

name

A surname of Chinese, Polish, Ukrainian, or Hungarian origin, depending on family background.

make

verb

To create, produce, or build something.

makeover

noun

A complete change to someone's or something's appearance or style.

maker

noun

A person, company, or thing that makes or produces something.

makeshift

adj

Put together quickly as a temporary, improvised solution.

makeup

noun

The way something is put together; its composition or make-up of parts.

maki

noun

Another name for the ring-tailed lemur.

making

noun

The act or process of creating, building, or producing something.

makings

noun

The essential ingredients, qualities, or materials needed to become or produce something.

Mako

name

A surname of Hungarian origin.

Maksim

name

A male first name, a Slavic form of Maximus.

mal

noun

Illness or affliction (used in medical and legal phrases borrowed from French, such as "mal de mer").

mala

noun

A string of prayer beads used in Hindu and Buddhist practice for counting repetitions of a mantra or chant.

Malachy

name

A male first name of Irish origin.

malady

noun

A disease or illness, especially one that is chronic or deep-rooted.

Malaga

name

A port city in southern Spain, capital of the province of the same name.

malaise

noun

A vague feeling of physical discomfort or unease, often an early sign of illness.

malaria

noun

A serious disease spread by mosquitoes, caused by a parasite that infects the blood and produces recurring fever.

malarkey

noun

Nonsense; empty or foolish talk.

Malawi

name

A landlocked country in Southern Africa.

Malay

adj

Relating to the Malay people, an ethnic group native to the Malay Peninsula and parts of nearby islands.

Malaya

name

A historical region and former British territory on the Malay Peninsula, now part of Malaysia.

Malayalam

noun

A language spoken mainly in the Indian state of Kerala.

Malaysia

name

A country in Southeast Asia made up of a peninsular region and part of the island of Borneo.

Malaysian

adj

Relating to the country of Malaysia.

Malcolm

name

A male first name of Scottish Gaelic origin.

Maldives

name

An island nation in the Indian Ocean known for its coral atolls and tourism.

Maldonado

name

A Spanish surname, also the name of a city in Uruguay.

male

adj

Of the sex that produces sperm rather than eggs, in humans, animals, or plants.

maleficent

adj

Causing harm, especially through evil intent.

Malek

name

A given name and surname of Arabic origin meaning "king," borne by actor Rami Malek.

Males

name

A surname, an occupational or patronymic English name.

malevolent

adj

Wishing harm on others; having ill will.

malfeasance

noun

Wrongdoing, especially illegal or unethical conduct by someone in a position of trust or authority.

malfunction

noun

A failure to work correctly, usually referring to equipment or a system.

malfunctioning

adjective

Not working correctly; failing to operate as it should.

Malhotra

name

A common Punjabi surname found among Hindus and Sikhs in India.

Mali

name

A landlocked country in West Africa.

malia

noun

A small songbird found only on the island of Sulawesi in Indonesia.

malibu

name

A coastal city in California known for its beaches and surf culture.

malice

noun

The intention to harm someone or do something wrong or illegal.

malicious

adj

Intended to cause harm; showing ill will toward others.

maliciously

adv

In a way that is intended to cause harm.

Malick

name

A surname of Arabic origin, borne notably by American film director Terrence Malick.

malign

verb

To say untrue or unfair things about someone in order to damage their reputation.

malignant

adjective

Harmful or hostile in intent; wishing ill on others.

maligned

adjective

Spoken about unfairly or harshly; the target of unjust criticism.

Malik

noun

A tribal chief or headman, especially among Pashtun communities in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Malika

name

A female given name of Arabic origin meaning "queen," the feminine form of Malik.

Malin

name

A Scandinavian feminine given name, and also a surname; also the name of a headland in Ireland (Malin Head).

Malka

name

A feminine given name of Hebrew origin, meaning "queen."

Malkovich

name

A surname of Croatian origin, borne notably by actor John Malkovich.

mall

noun

A large building or complex of shops under one roof.

mallard

noun

A common wild duck found across the Northern Hemisphere; the male has a glossy dark green head.

malle

noun

A heavy hammer or beetle, often made of wood or lead.

malleable

adjective

Capable of being hammered or pressed into a new shape without breaking, as with certain metals.

mallet

noun

A hammer with a large head, usually made of wood or rubber, used to strike a tool or object without damaging it.

Mallika

name

A female given name of Sanskrit origin, also the name of Arabian jasmine.

Mallory

name

A given name and surname of French origin, historically meaning "unfortunate" or "unlucky."

Malloy

name

An Irish surname, an anglicized form of a Gaelic clan name.

malnourished

adjective

Suffering from a lack of proper nutrition.

malnutrition

noun

A condition caused by not getting enough of the right nutrients.

malo

noun

Short for malolactic fermentation, a winemaking process that softens a wine's acidity.

Malone

name

An Irish surname, borne by figures such as basketball player Karl Malone.

Maloney

name

An Irish surname, an anglicized form of a Gaelic clan name.

malpractice

noun

Improper or negligent treatment of a patient by a doctor or other professional, causing harm.

malt

noun

Grain, usually barley, that has been soaked and allowed to sprout before being dried, used in brewing beer and whisky.

Malta

name

A small island country in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily.

malted

adjective

Turned into or flavoured with malt.

Maltese

adjective

Relating to Malta, its people, or its language.

Malti

name

A feminine given name of Sanskrit origin, referring to a type of jasmine flower.

malu

noun

A traditional Samoan tattoo covering a woman's thighs and knees, marking cultural status.

malware

noun

Software created deliberately to damage, disrupt, or gain unauthorized access to a computer system.

mam

noun

An informal, affectionate word for one's mother, common in British and Irish English.

mama

noun

An affectionate, informal word for mother, often used by young children.

mamacita

noun

Slang for an attractive woman.

mamba

noun

Any of several highly venomous tree-dwelling snakes native to Africa, of the genus Dendroaspis.

mambo

noun

A lively Latin American dance and musical style that developed from the rumba in 1940s Cuba.

mami

noun

An informal, affectionate word for mother, or a slang term for an attractive woman.

Mamie

name

A feminine given name, originally a pet form of "Mary" or "Margaret," borne by First Lady Mamie Eisenhower.

mamma

noun

The milk-producing organ in female mammals, including the breast; anatomical term for the mammary gland.

mammal

noun

A warm-blooded vertebrate animal with hair or fur that feeds its young with milk.

mammogram

noun

An X-ray image of the breast used to detect early signs of breast cancer.

mammoth

noun

An extinct, elephant-like animal covered in shaggy hair, with long curved tusks, that lived during the Ice Age.

mammy

noun

An informal, affectionate word for mother.

mamo

noun

Either of two now-extinct Hawaiian honeycreeper species (genus Drepanis), prized historically for their yellow feathers.

man

noun

An adult male human being.

mana

noun

In Polynesian belief, a spiritual power or prestige said to reside in people, objects, or places.

manage

verb

To be in charge of running something, such as a business, team, or project.

manageable

adj

Able to be controlled, handled, or dealt with without excessive difficulty.

management

noun

The process of planning, organizing, and directing resources or people to achieve a goal.

manager

noun

A person responsible for running a business, department, team, or similar organization.

managerial

adj

Relating to a manager or to management duties and responsibilities.

managing

adj

Holding overall control or day-to-day responsibility, as in a job title.

Manami

name

A Japanese female given name.

Manassas

name

An independent city in northeastern Virginia, USA, the county seat of Prince William County and site of two major Civil War battles.

manatee

noun

A large, slow-moving plant-eating aquatic mammal (genus Trichechus) with a paddle-shaped tail, found in warm coastal waters and rivers.

Manav

name

A male given name of Sanskrit origin, used in India, related to the word for "human."

mancha

noun

A prized, high-quality grade of Spanish saffron.

Manchester

name

A major city in northwestern England, historically central to the Industrial Revolution and now known for music, football, and culture.

Manchu

noun

A member of the indigenous people of Manchuria, or a descendant of the ruling group of China's Qing dynasty.

Manchuria

name

A historical and geographic region of northeastern China, traditionally the homeland of the Manchu people.