"M" Word Origins

methodically

Origin

From methodical + the adverb suffix -ly.

Methodist

Origin

From method + -ist — originally a mocking nickname for the methodical, disciplined religious practices of Wesley's followers.

methodius

Origin

From Byzantine Greek Μεθόδιος (Methódios), from Ancient Greek μέθοδος (méthodos), from μετ’ (met’, apocopic form of μετά (metá)) + ὁδός (hodós). By surface analysis, met- + -hod + -ius.

methodize

Origin

From method + -ize.

methodology

French

From French méthodologie, built from method + -ology ("study of").

Methuselah

Hebrew · 969

From the Hebrew name Məṯûšelaḥ, a figure in the Hebrew Bible reputed to have lived 969 years.

meticulous

Latin

From Latin meticulosus ("fearful, timid"), from metus ("fear"). The modern sense of "careful about detail" developed later, likely influenced by the similar French word méticuleux.

meticulously

Origin

From meticulous + -ly.

Meto

Latin

Borrowed from Latin Meto, ultimately from Ancient Greek Μέτων (Métōn).

metonymically

Origin

From metonymic + -ally or metonymical + -ly.

metonymy

Greek

From Greek metonymia 'a change of name', from meta 'change' plus onyma 'name'.

metre

French

From French mètre, from Greek metron ("measure").

metric

New Latin

From French métrique, from New Latin metricus, ultimately from Greek metron ("measure").

metro

French

From French métro, a clipping of métropolitain, originally referring to the Paris subway system — itself named after London's early "Metropolitan Railway".

metronome

Greek

Coined from Greek metron ("measure") + nomos ("law, rule").

metropolis

Greek

From Greek mētropolis ("mother city"), from mētēr ("mother") + polis ("city").

metropolitan

Late Latin

From Late Latin metropolitanus, from Greek mētropolitēs, ultimately from metropolis.

metrosexual

Origin

Blend of metropolitan + heterosexual, equivalent to metro- + -sexual. Coined by British writer Mark Simpson in 1994, it enjoyed a brief popularity in the early 2000s.

mettle

Origin · 1500

A figurative spelling variant of metal, dating back to the 1500s; the two words were once interchangeable before splitting into separate meanings in the 1700s.

mettlesome

Origin

From mettle + -some.

Metz

French

Borrowed from French Metz, from Latin Mediomatrici (later Mettis).

Metzger

German

Borrowed from German Metzger (“butcher”).

mew

Old English

From Old English mǣw ("seagull"), though the cat-cry sense developed separately as an imitation of the sound itself.

mewl

Origin

From 1599 or earlier (1530 in a Scottish document), apparently from Shakespeare with this spelling. Perhaps from Middle English mewen (“to whimper”) + -le (frequentative suffix).

mews

Origin

From the royal stables once located at Mewes (Charing Cross, London), whose name is actually the plural of mew ("a cage for hawks").

Mexican

Spanish

From Spanish mexicano, ultimately from Nahuatl mēxihcatl ("a Mexica person").

Meyer

Origin

* As a German and Alemannic German surname, from the noun Meier (“leaseholder of a manor”). Compare Maier, Mayer, Meier, Myer. * As a Jewish surname, from Yiddish מאיר (mir). Compare Majer, Major, Mayor, Meir. * As a Dutch/West Flemish surname, variant of Meijer.

mezzanine

Latin

From Italian mezzanino, from mezzano ("middle"), ultimately from Latin medius ("middle").

MF

English

An initialism of motherfucker.

MFS

English

Plural of the initialism MF, from motherfuckers.

mg

Origin

Abbreviation of Maung. Borrowed from Burmese မောင် (maung).

mhm

Origin

A nasalized variant of uh-huh, imitating a spoken sound of agreement.

mi

Latin

From medieval solmization systems, taken from the first syllable of Latin mīra ("wonders") in an old hymn used to teach the musical scale.

mi casa

Spanish

Spanish, literally 'my house', from mi 'my' and casa 'house'.

mia

Origin

A clipping of bulimia, deliberately shaped to resemble the given name Mia.

Miami

Origin

From the tribe's own name for itself, Myaamia, in the Miami-Illinois language.

Miao

Chinese

From Mandarin Chinese 苗 (Miáo).

miaul

Origin

Compare French miauler, of imitative origin.

mib

Origin

Perhaps a corruption of marble.

mic

Origin

A short form of "microphone," first used casually among musicians and broadcasters, later standardised as its own spelling separate from "mike."

mica

Latin

Borrowed from Latin mica, meaning "grain" or "crumb," likely a reference to its flaky, crumbling texture.

Micah

Hebrew

From Hebrew Mikhayahu, meaning "who is like Yahweh."

mice

Old English

From Old English mys, the plural form of mus ("mouse"), which survived intact into Modern English despite most other irregular plurals disappearing over time.

Michael

Latin

From Hebrew mikha'el, meaning "who is like God?" — a rhetorical question used as a name. It reached English through Greek, Latin, and Old French.

Michaela

Origin

From Michael + -a. Latinate feminine form of Michael, first appearing as an anglicisation of the Portuguese ("Micaela") and Spanish ("Micaela"). Doublet of Michelle.

Michaels

Origin

Variant of Michael with patronymic genitival or post-medieval excrescent -s.

Michal

Hebrew

From Hebrew מִיכַל (mikhál, “Michal”).

micheal

Origin

Anglicised form of Irish Mícheál or Scottish Gaelic Mìcheal. Also a spelling variant of Michael, generally considered erroneous.