IELTS Exam Vocabulary List - M
- macadamize v. To cover or pave, as a path or roadway, with small broken stone.
- machinery n. The parts of a machine or engine, taken collectively.
- machinist n. One who makes or repairs machines, or uses metal-working tools.
- macrocosm n. The whole of any sphere or department of nature or knowledge to which man is related.
- madden v. To inflame with passion.
- Madonna n. A painted or sculptured representation of the Virgin, usually with the infant Jesus.
- magician n. A sorcerer.
- magisterial adj. Having an air of authority.
- magistracy n. The office or dignity of a magistrate.
- magnanimous adj. Generous in treating or judging others.
- magnate n. A person of rank or importance.
- magnet n. A body possessing that peculiar form of polarity found in nature in the lodestone.
- magnetize v. To make a magnet of, permanently, or temporarily.
- magnificence n. The exhibition of greatness of action, character, intellect, wealth, or power.
- magnificent adj. Grand or majestic in appearance, quality, or action.
- magnitude n. Importance.
- maharaja n. A great Hindu prince.
- maidenhood n. Virginity.
- maintain v. To hold or preserve in any particular state or condition.
- maintenance n. That which supports or sustains.
- maize n. Indian corn: usually in the United States called simply corn.
- makeup n. The arrangements or combination of the parts of which anything is composed.
- malady n. Any physical disease or disorder, especially a chronic or deep-seated one.
- malaria n. A fever characterized by alternating chills, fever, and sweating.
- malcontent n. One who is dissatisfied with the existing state of affairs.
- malediction n. The calling down of a curse or curses.
- malefactor n. One who injures another.
- maleficent adj. Mischievous.
- malevolence n. Ill will.
- malevolent adj. Wishing evil to others.
- malign v. To speak evil of, especially to do so falsely and severely.
- malignant adj. Evil in nature or tending to do great harm or mischief.
- malleable adj. Pliant.
- mallet n. A wooden hammer.
- maltreat v. To treat ill, unkindly, roughly, or abusively.
- man-trap n. A place or structure dangerous to human life.
- mandate n. A command.
- mandatory adj. Expressive of positive command, as distinguished from merely directory.
- mane n. The long hair growing upon and about the neck of certain animals, as the horse and the lion.
- man-eater n. An animal that devours human beings.
- maneuver v. To make adroit or artful moves: manage affairs by strategy.
- mania n. Insanity.
- maniac n. a person raving with madness.
- manifesto n. A public declaration, making announcement, explanation or defense of intentions or motives.
- manlike adj. Like a man.
- manliness n. The qualities characteristic of a true man, as bravery, resolution, etc.
- mannerism n. Constant or excessive adherence to one manner, style, or peculiarity, as of action or conduct.
- manor n. The landed estate of a lord or nobleman.
- mantel n. The facing, sometimes richly ornamented, about a fireplace, including the usual shelf above it.
- mantle n. A cloak.
- manufacturer n. A person engaged in manufacturing as a business.
- manumission n. Emancipation.
- manumit v. To set free from bondage.
- marine adj. Of or pertaining to the sea or matters connected with the sea.
- maritime adj. Situated on or near the sea.
- maroon v. To put ashore and abandon (a person) on a desolate coast or island.
- martial adj. Pertaining to war or military operations.
- Martian adj. Pertaining to Mars, either the Roman god of war or the planet.
- martyrdom n. Submission to death or persecution for the sake of faith or principle.
- marvel v. To be astonished and perplexed because of (something).
- masonry n. The art or work of constructing, as buildings, walls, etc., with regularly arranged stones.
- masquerade n. A social party composed of persons masked and costumed so as to be disguised.
- massacre n. The unnecessary and indiscriminate killing of human beings.
- massive adj. Of considerable bulk and weight.
- masterpiece n. A superior production.
- mastery n. The attainment of superior skill.
- material n. That of which anything is composed or may be constructed.
- materialize v. To take perceptible or substantial form.
- maternal adj. Pertaining or peculiar to a mother or to motherhood.
- matinee n. An entertainment (especially theatrical) held in the daytime.
- matricide n. The killing, especially the murdering, of one's mother.
- matrimony n. The union of a man and a woman in marriage.
- matrix n. That which contains and gives shape or form to anything.
- matter of fact n. Something that has actual and undeniable existence or reality.
- maudlin adj. Foolishly and tearfully affectionate.
- mausoleum n. A tomb of more than ordinary size or architectural pretensions.
- mawkish adj. Sickening or insipid.
- maxim n. A principle accepted as true and acted on as a rule or guide.
- maze n. A labyrinth.
- mead n. A meadow.
- meager adj. scanty.
- mealy-mouthed adj. Afraid to express facts or opinions plainly.
- meander v. To wind and turn while proceeding in a course.
- mechanics n. The branch of physics that treats the phenomena caused by the action of forces.
- medallion n. A large medal.
- meddlesome adj. Interfering.
- medial adj. Of or pertaining to the middle.
- mediate v. To effect by negotiating as an agent between parties.
- medicine n. A substance possessing or reputed to possess curative or remedial properties.
- medieval adj. Belonging or relating to or descriptive of the middle ages.
- mediocre adj. Ordinary.
- meditation n. The turning or revolving of a subject in the mind.
- medley n. A composition of different songs or parts of songs arranged to run as a continuous whole.
- meliorate v. To make better or improve, as in quality or social or physical condition.
- mellifluous adj. Sweetly or smoothly flowing.
- melodious adj. Characterized by a sweet succession of sounds.
- melodrama n. A drama with a romantic story or plot and sensational situation and incidents.
- memento n. A souvenir.
- memorable adj. Noteworthy.
- menace n. A threat.
- menagerie n. A collection of wild animals, especially when kept for exhibition.
- mendacious adj. Untrue.
- mendicant n. A beggar.
- mentality n. Intellectuality.
- mentor n. A wise and faithful teacher, guide, and friend.
- mercantile adj. Conducted or acting on business principles; commercial.
- mercenary adj. Greedy
- merciful adj. Disposed to pity and forgive.
- merciless adj. Cruel.
- meretricious adj. Alluring by false or gaudy show.
- mesmerize v. To hypnotize.
- messieurs n. pl. Gentlemen.
- metal n. An element that forms a base by combining with oxygen, is usually hard, heavy, and lustrous.
- metallurgy n. The art or science of extracting a metal from ores, as by smelting.
- metamorphosis n. A passing from one form or shape into another.
- metaphor n. A figure of speech in which one object is likened to another, by speaking as the other.
- metaphysical adj. Philosophical.
- metaphysician n. One skilled in metaphysics.
- metaphysics n. The principles of philosophy as applied to explain the methods of any particular science.
- mete v. To apportion.
- metempsychosis n. Transition of the soul of a human being at death into another body, whether human or beast.
- meticulous adj. Over-cautious.
- metonymy n. A figure of speech that consists in the naming of a thing by one of its attributes.
- metric adj. Relating to measurement.
- metronome n. An instrument for indicating and marking exact time in music.
- metropolis n. A chief city, either the capital or the largest or most important city of a state.
- metropolitan adj. Pertaining to a chief city.
- mettle n. Courage.
- mettlesome adj. Having courage or spirit.
- microcosm n. The world or universe on a small scale.
- micrometer n. An instrument for measuring very small angles or dimensions.
- microphone n. An apparatus for magnifying faint sounds.
- microscope n. An instrument for assisting the eye in the vision of minute objects or features of objects.
- microscopic adj. Adapted to or characterized by minute observation.
- microscopy n. The art of examing objects with the microscope.
- midsummer n. The middle of the summer.
- midwife n. A woman who makes a business of assisting at childbirth.
- mien n. The external appearance or manner of a person.
- migrant adj. Wandering.
- migrate v. To remove or pass from one country, region, or habitat to another.
- migratory adj. Wandering.
- mileage n. A distance in miles.
- militant adj. Of a warlike or combative disposition or tendency.
- militarism n. A policy of maintaining great standing armies.
- militate v. To have weight or influence (in determining a question).
- militia n. Those citizens, collectively, who are enrolled and drilled in temporary military.
- Milky Way n. The galaxy.
- millet n. A grass cultivated for forage and cereal.
- mimic v. To imitate the speech or actions of.
- miniature adj. Much smaller than reality or that the normal size.
- minimize v. To reduce to the smallest possible amount or degree.
- minion n. A servile favorite.
- ministration n. Any religious ceremonial.
- ministry n. A service.
- minority n. The smaller in number of two portions into which a number or a group divided.
- minute adj. Exceedingly small in extent or quantity.
- minutia n. A small or unimportant particular or detail.
- mirage n. An optical effect looking like a sheet of water in the desert.
- misadventure n. An unlucky accident.
- misanthropic adj. Hating mankind.
- misanthropy n. Hatred of mankind.
- misapprehend v. To misunderstand.
- misbehave v. To behave ill.
- misbehavior n. Ill or improper behavior.
- mischievous adj. Fond of tricks.
- miscount v. To make a mistake in counting.
- miscreant n. A villain.
- misdeed n. A wrong or improper act.
- misdemeanor n. Evil conduct, small crime.
- miser n. A person given to saving and hoarding unduly.
- mishap n. Misfortune.
- misinterpret v. To misunderstand.
- mislay v. To misplace.
- mismanage v. To manage badly, improperly, or unskillfully.
- misnomer n. A name wrongly or mistakenly applied.
- misogamy n. Hatred of marriage.
- misogyny n. Hatred of women.
- misplace v. To put into a wrong place.
- misrepresent v. To give a wrong impression.
- misrule v. To misgovern.
- missal n. The book containing the service for the celebration of mass.
- missile n. Any object, especially a weapon, thrown or intended to be thrown.
- missive n. A message in writing.
- mistrust v. To regard with suspicion or jealousy.
- misty adj. Lacking clearness
- misunderstand v. To Take in a wrong sense.
- misuse v. To maltreat.
- mite n. A very small amount, portion, or particle.
- miter n. The junction of two bodies at an equally divided angle.
- mitigate v. To make milder or more endurable.
- mnemonics n. A system of principles and formulas designed to assist the recollection in certain instances.
- moat n. A ditch on the outside of a fortress wall.
- mobocracy n. Lawless control of public affairs by the mob or populace.
- moccasin n. A foot-covering made of soft leather or buckskin.
- mockery n. Ridicule.
- moderation n. Temperance.
- moderator n. The presiding officer of a meeting.
- modernity n. The state or character of being modern.
- modernize v. To make characteristic of the present or of recent times.
- modification n. A change.
- modify v. To make somewhat different.
- modish adj. Fashionable.
- modulate v. To vary in tone, inflection, pitch or other quality of sound.
- mollify v. To soothe.
- molt v. To cast off, as hair, feathers, etc.
- momentary adj. Lasting but a short time.
- momentous adj. Very significant.
- momentum n. An impetus.
- monarchy n. Government by a single, sovereign ruler.
- monastery n. A dwelling-place occupied in common by persons under religious vows of seclusion.
- monetary adj. Financial.
- mongrel n. The progeny resulting from the crossing of different breeds or varieties.
- monition n. Friendly counsel given by way of warning and implying caution or reproof.
- monitory n. Admonition or warning.
- monocracy n. Government by a single person.
- monogamy n. The habit of pairing, or having but one mate.
- monogram n. A character consisting of two or more letters interwoven into one, usually initials of a name.
- monograph n. A treatise discussing a single subject or branch of a subject.
- monolith n. Any structure or sculpture in stone formed of a single piece.
- monologue n. A story or drama told or performed by one person.
- monomania n. The unreasonable pursuit of one idea.
- monopoly n. The control of a thing, as a commodity, to enable a person to raise its price.
- monosyllable n. A word of one syllable.
- monotone n. The sameness or monotony of utterance.
- monotonous adj. Unchanging and tedious.
- monotony n. A lack of variety.
- monsieur n. A French title of respect, equivalent to Mr. and sir.
- monstrosity n. Anything unnaturally huge or distorted.
- moonbeam n. A ray of moonlight.
- morale n. A state of mind with reference to confidence, courage, zeal, and the like.
- moralist n. A writer on ethics.
- morality n. Virtue.
- moralize v. To render virtuous.
- moratorium n. An emergency legislation authorizing a government suspend some action temporarily.
- morbid adj. Caused by or denoting a diseased or unsound condition of body or mind.
- mordacious adj. Biting or giving to biting.
- mordant adj. Biting.
- moribund adj. On the point of dying.
- morose adj. Gloomy.
- morphology n. the science of organic forms.
- motley adj. Composed of heterogeneous or inharmonious elements.
- motto n. An expressive word or pithy sentence enunciating some guiding rule of life, or faith.
- mountaineer n. One who travels among or climbs mountains for pleasure or exercise.
- mountainous adj. Full of or abounding in mountains.
- mouthful n. As much as can be or is usually put into the or exercise.
- muddle v. To confuse or becloud, especially with or as with drink.
- muffle v. To deaden the sound of, as by wraps.
- mulatto n. The offspring of a white person and a black person.
- muleteer n. A mule-driver.
- multiform adj. Having many shapes, or appearances.
- multiplicity n. the condition of being manifold or very various.
- mundane adj. Worldly, as opposed to spiritual or celestial.
- municipal adj. Of or pertaining to a town or city, or to its corporate or local government.
- municipality n. A district enjoying municipal government.
- munificence n. A giving characterized by generous motives and extraordinary liberality.
- munificent adj. Extraordinarily generous.
- muster n. An assemblage or review of troops for parade or inspection, or for numbering off.
- mutation n. The act or process of change.
- mutilate v. To disfigure.
- mutiny n. Rebellion against lawful or constituted authority.
- myriad n. A vast indefinite number.
- mystic n. One who professes direct divine illumination, or relies upon meditation to acquire truth.
- mystification n. The act of artfully perplexing.
- myth n. A fictitious narrative presented as historical, but without any basis of fact.
- mythology n. The whole body of legends cherished by a race concerning gods and heroes.
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