178 words starting with M

• machine noun

  a device with moving parts that uses power to do work

  The washing machine cleans our clothes in less than an hour.

  Like device

• machinery noun

  machines in general, or the moving parts of a machine

  The factory bought new machinery to make paper faster.

  Like equipment, machines

• mad adjective

  very angry; very silly or foolish

  My sister was mad at me for using her pen.

  Like angry, crazy

• magazine noun

  a thin book with articles and pictures, published regularly

  I read a science magazine every month.

  Like journal

• magic noun

  tricks that seem to make impossible things happen

  The magician used magic to make a coin disappear.

  Like conjuring

• magnetic adjective

  able to attract iron or steel, like a magnet

  A compass needle is magnetic, so it points north.

• magnitude noun

  the great size or importance of something; a number that measures size or strength

  Scientists measured the magnitude of the earthquake as 7.8.

  Like size, scale, extent

• mail noun

  letters and packages sent by post

  The mail arrives at our house every Tuesday.

  Like post

• main adjective

  most important or largest

  The main gate of the school opens at nine o’clock.

  Like chief, principal

• mainly adverb

  mostly, more than anything else

  The students in our class mainly come from nearby villages.

  Like mostly, chiefly

• maintain verb

  to keep something in good condition; to keep something at the same level

  The school hires workers to maintain the garden.

  Like keep, preserve

• maintenance noun

  the work of keeping something in good condition

  The bus is out of service for maintenance this week.

  Like upkeep, servicing

• major adjective

  very important, large or serious

  Tourism is a major source of income for Nepal.

  Like main, chief

• majority noun

  more than half of a group

  The majority of students chose football as their favorite game.

  Like most

• make verb

  to create or produce something by putting things together

  We made a paper boat and floated it on the pond.

  Like create, build, produce

• maker noun

  a person or company that makes something

  The maker of this bicycle offers free repairs for a year.

  Like manufacturer, producer, creator

• male adjective

  of the sex that does not give birth or lay eggs

  The male peacock has bright, colorful feathers.

• mall noun

  a large building or area with many shops and restaurants

  We went to the mall to buy new school shoes.

  Like shopping center

• man noun

  an adult male person

  The man at the ticket counter told us which bus to take.

  Like gentleman

• manage verb

  to be in charge of something; to succeed in doing something difficult

  My aunt manages a small hotel in Pokhara.

  Like run, control

• management noun

  the controlling and organizing of a business or activity

  Good management helped the small café grow.

  Like control, running

• manager noun

  a person in charge of a team, shop or business

  The hotel manager welcomed the students.

  Like boss, director

• manipulate verb

  to handle or control something with skill; to control someone unfairly

  The children manipulated the clay into the shape of an elephant.

  Like handle, operate, control

• manipulation noun

  the skillful handling or control of something; the unfair control of someone

  The experiment needed careful manipulation of tiny glass tubes.

  Like handling, control

• manner noun

  the way something is done; how a person behaves toward others

  The guide explained the history in a friendly and clear manner.

  Like way, style

• manual noun

  a book that tells you how to use or repair something

  Read the manual before you set up the new microscope.

  Like handbook, guide, instructions

• manufacture verb

  to make goods in large numbers using machines

  The factory manufactures bicycles and sells them across Nepal.

  Like produce, make, build

• manufacturer noun

  a company that makes goods in large numbers, usually in factories

  The bicycle manufacturer produces thousands of bikes every year.

  Like maker, producer

• manuscript noun

  a book or piece of writing written by hand or before it is printed

  The museum displays a palm-leaf manuscript that is a thousand years old.

• map noun

  a drawing of an area showing places, roads, rivers, and mountains

  We used a map to find the trail to the lake.

  Like chart

• marble noun

  a hard, smooth stone often used for buildings and statues; a small glass ball used in children’s games

  The floor of the temple is made of white marble.

• march verb

  to walk with regular steps, like soldiers

  The school band marched through the streets on Independence Day.

  Like parade

• margin noun

  the empty space at the edge of a page; the amount by which one wins

  Write your name in the margin at the top.

• marginal adjective

  small and not very important; at or near the edge of something

  The new fertilizer made only a marginal difference to the size of the crop.

  Like slight, minor, small

• mark noun

  a small spot or line on a surface; a number or letter given for schoolwork

  She got full marks on her math test.

  Like grade, score

• marker noun

  a pen with a thick felt tip; an object or sign that shows a position

  The teacher wrote the key words on the whiteboard with a blue marker.

  Like felt-tip pen, sign

• market noun

  a place where people buy and sell goods

  We bought fresh vegetables at the market on Saturday morning.

  Like bazaar

• marriage noun

  the legal relationship between a husband and wife

  My grandparents celebrated fifty years of marriage last year.

  Like wedlock

• marrow noun

  the soft substance inside bones where blood cells are made

  Bone marrow, deep inside our bones, produces new red blood cells every day.

• marry verb

  to become someone’s husband or wife

  My aunt will marry next month, and the whole family will travel to her wedding.

  Like wed

• mass noun

  the amount of matter in an object; a large amount without a clear shape

  A brick has more mass than a sponge of the same size.

  Like bulk, lump

• massive adjective

  very large, heavy and solid

  A massive rock fell onto the road and blocked traffic for hours.

  Like huge, enormous

• master verb

  to learn to do something very well

  It took him a year to master the multiplication tables.

• match noun

  a game between two teams or players; a small stick that makes fire when rubbed

  We won the football match against the other school.

  Like game, contest

• mate noun

  a friend (informal); the male or female partner of an animal

  A male bird sings to attract a mate.

  Like friend, partner

• material noun

  what something is made of; cloth

  Clay is a good material for making pots.

  Like substance, fabric

• maternal adjective

  relating to a mother or to being a mother

  My maternal grandparents, my mother’s parents, live in Pokhara.

• mathematical adjective

  relating to or using numbers, shapes and calculations

  The pyramid was built with great mathematical precision.

• mathematics noun

  the study of numbers, shapes and quantities

  Mathematics is my favorite subject because I love solving puzzles.

  Like math

• matrix noun

  a set of numbers arranged in rows and columns

  In math class, we learned how to add two matrices.

• matter verb

  to be important

  It doesn’t matter if you make a mistake while practicing.

  Like count

• mature adjective

  fully grown; behaving in a sensible, adult way

  My sister is very mature for her age.

  Like grown-up, adult, sensible

• maximize verb

  to make something as large or great as possible

  Farmers plant crops close together to maximize the use of their land.

• maximum noun

  the largest amount or number that is allowed or possible

  This lift can carry a maximum of eight people.

  Like limit

• maybe adverb

  possibly; it might happen or be true

  Maybe we will see snow on the mountains tomorrow.

  Like perhaps, possibly

• mayor noun

  the elected leader of a city or town

  The mayor opened the new library.

• meal noun

  the food eaten at one time, such as breakfast or dinner

  Dal bhat is the main meal in many Nepali homes.

• mean verb

  to have a particular sense; to intend

  What does this English word mean in Nepali, and how do we use it?

  Like signify, intend

• meaningful adjective

  serious, important or useful

  Helping at the animal shelter gave her a meaningful way to spend the summer.

  Like significant, worthwhile, important

• meanwhile adverb

  at the same time as something else is happening

  I cooked the rice; meanwhile, my brother set the table.

  Like at the same time

• measure verb

  to find the size, length or amount of something

  Use a ruler to measure the length of the leaf.

  Like gauge

• measurement noun

  the act of finding the size or amount of something; the number found

  We took measurements of the classroom to build a model.

• meat noun

  the flesh of animals eaten as food

  During Dashain, many families cook goat meat for the feast.

• mechanic noun

  a person whose job is to repair engines and machines

  The mechanic fixed our bus so we could continue the journey.

  Like repairman

• mechanical adjective

  operated by machines or moving parts; done without thinking

  An old mechanical clock ticks loudly in the hall.

  Like automatic

• mechanism noun

  a set of moving parts in a machine that do a job

  The clock’s mechanism is made of tiny gears and springs.

  Like device

• media noun

  television, radio, newspapers and the internet, which bring news and information to the public

  The media reported the discovery of a new species of frog.

  Like press

• mediate verb

  to help two sides who disagree reach an agreement

  The class teacher mediated between the two teams arguing over the field.

  Like arbitrate

• medical adjective

  connected with medicine and treating illness

  She went to medical school to become a doctor.

• medicine noun

  a substance you take to treat or prevent an illness

  The doctor gave my brother medicine for his cough and told him to rest.

  Like medication, drug

• medium adjective

  in the middle in size or amount

  I would like a medium cup of tea, please.

  Like middle, average

• meet verb

  to come together with someone, by plan or by chance

  Let’s meet at the school gate at three o’clock.

  Like encounter, gather

• member noun

  a person who belongs to a group or club

  Every member of the team wore a red shirt.

  Like participant

• membership noun

  the state of belonging to a group or club

  My library membership lets me borrow three books at a time.

• membrane noun

  a thin layer that covers or separates parts of a living thing

  The cell membrane controls what enters and leaves the cell.

  Like layer, film

• memorize verb

  to learn something so well that you can remember it exactly

  We had to memorize the national anthem for the school assembly.

  Like learn by heart

• memory noun

  the ability to remember; something you remember

  My grandfather has a good memory for old stories.

  Like recollection

• mental adjective

  relating to the mind

  Doing puzzles is good mental exercise.

• mention verb

  to speak or write about something briefly

  The guide mentioned that the temple is over three hundred years old.

  Like refer to, note

• mentor noun

  an experienced person who advises and helps someone with less experience

  Her mentor at the science club helped her build a solar oven.

  Like guide, adviser, coach

• menu noun

  a list of the food served in a restaurant; a list of choices on a screen

  The waiter brought us the menu, and I chose momos.

• mercury noun

  a heavy silver metal that is liquid at room temperature

  Old thermometers contained mercury, which rose as the temperature went up.

• mere adjective

  only; nothing more than

  The shop is a mere five minutes’ walk from our house.

  Like only, just

• merely adverb

  only; nothing more than

  It was merely a small scratch, so I didn’t need a bandage.

  Like only, just, simply

• merge verb

  to join together to form one thing

  The two small rivers merge to form one large river near the town.

  Like join, combine, unite

• mess noun

  a dirty or untidy state

  My brother’s room is always a mess, with clothes and books all over the floor.

  Like clutter, disorder

• message noun

  a piece of information sent from one person to another

  I sent my friend a message to say I would be late.

  Like note, text

• messenger noun

  a person who carries a message or does errands

  The king sent a messenger on horseback to the next town.

  Like courier, carrier

• metabolism noun

  the chemical processes in a living thing that turn food into energy and growth

  Exercise speeds up your metabolism, so your body uses food for energy faster.

• metal noun

  a hard, shiny material such as iron, copper or gold that conducts heat and electricity

  The spoon got hot because metal carries heat well.

• metaphor noun

  a way of describing something by saying it is something else, such as “time is money”

  “The classroom was a zoo” is a metaphor for a noisy room.

• meter noun

  a unit of length equal to 100 centimeters; a device that measures something

  The rope is ten meters long, enough to reach the bottom of the well.

• method noun

  a planned way of doing something

  Our teacher showed us a quick method for multiplying large numbers.

  Like way, technique, procedure

• methodology noun

  the set of methods used in a particular study or activity

  The report describes the methodology the students used to count birds.

  Like method, approach, procedure

• middle noun

  the point or part that is the same distance from all edges or both ends

  There is a small island in the middle of the lake.

  Like center

• migrate verb

  to move from one place to another, often with the seasons

  Many birds migrate south to warmer places for the winter.

  Like move, relocate

• migration noun

  the movement of people or animals from one place to another

  The migration of bar-headed geese takes them over the Himalaya.

  Like movement, journey

• mile noun

  a unit for measuring distance, about 1.6 kilometers

  The school is about two miles from my house.

• military noun

  a country’s army, navy and air force

  He joined the military after finishing school.

  Like armed forces

• milk noun

  the white liquid that cows, goats and other female mammals make to feed their young

  We buy fresh milk from the farm near our house every morning.

• millimeter noun

  a unit of length equal to one thousandth of a meter

  The ant was only three millimeters long, about the width of a grain of rice.

• mind noun

  the part of a person that thinks, feels and remembers

  Keep this idea in your mind while you solve the problem.

  Like brain, thoughts

• mine noun

  a deep hole where people dig out coal, metal or stones

  The workers found gold deep in the mine.

  Like pit, quarry

• mineral noun

  a natural solid substance found in rocks and the earth; a substance in food that the body needs, such as iron

  Quartz is a common mineral found in many rocks.

• minimal adjective

  very small in amount or degree; as small as possible

  The storm caused only minimal damage to the school roof.

  Like slight, small, least

• minimize verb

  to make something as small as possible

  Turn off lights when you leave a room to minimize the use of electricity.

  Like reduce, lessen, cut

• minimum noun

  the smallest amount or number that is allowed or possible

  You need a minimum of ten players to start the football match.

• minister noun

  a member of the government who is in charge of a department

  The education minister visited our school to open the new library.

• minor adjective

  small and not very important or serious

  I made a few minor mistakes in my essay.

  Like small, slight

• minority noun

  a smaller part of a group, less than half

  Only a minority of students walk to school; most come by bus.

• minute noun

  a period of time equal to sixty seconds

  The bus will leave in five minutes, so please hurry.

• mirror noun

  a piece of glass that shows the reflection of whatever is in front of it

  I looked in the mirror to check my hair before school.

• miss verb

  to fail to catch, hit or reach something; to feel sad that someone is not with you

  Hurry, or we will miss the bus!

  Like fail

• missile noun

  an object thrown or fired at a target; a flying weapon driven by a rocket

  The museum showed how early rockets and missiles led to space travel.

  Like projectile, rocket

• mission noun

  an important job or journey someone is sent to do

  The mission of the spacecraft is to study the surface of Mars.

  Like task, assignment

• mistake noun

  something that is wrong or done wrongly

  I made a mistake in my sum, so I checked it again.

  Like error, fault

• mix verb

  to put different things together so they become one

  Mix the flour and water to make dough.

  Like blend, combine

• mixture noun

  something made by combining two or more things

  Air is a mixture of gases, mostly nitrogen and oxygen.

  Like blend, combination, mix

• mobile adjective

  able to move or be moved easily

  A mobile library on a bus brings books to villages far from town.

  Like movable, portable

• mobility noun

  the ability to move or be moved easily

  A wheelchair gives my grandmother more mobility around the house.

  Like movement, movability

• mode noun

  a particular way of doing something; a setting on a machine

  For short trips around town, walking is the cheapest and healthiest mode of travel.

  Like way, method, manner

• model noun

  a small copy of something; a person or thing to be copied

  We built a model of the solar system from paper balls.

  Like copy, example

• moderate adjective

  not too much and not too little; average

  Moderate exercise, like a thirty-minute walk every day, keeps you healthy.

  Like average, medium

• modern adjective

  of the present time; using the newest ideas and methods

  The hospital has modern machines for checking the heart.

  Like new, current, up-to-date

• modification noun

  a small change made to improve something

  After a few modifications, the paper plane flew much farther.

  Like change, adjustment, alteration

• modify verb

  to change something a little to make it better or suit a need

  We modified our model car so it could climb steeper slopes.

  Like alter, adjust, change

• module noun

  one part of a course of study; a separate unit of a machine

  We finished the first module of the computer course.

  Like unit, section

• mole noun

  a small furry animal that digs tunnels underground; in chemistry, a unit for the amount of a substance

  The mole dug a long tunnel under the vegetable garden.

• molecular adjective

  relating to the tiny groups of atoms that substances are made of

  Molecular biology studies the chemicals inside living cells.

• molecule noun

  the smallest unit of a substance, made of two or more atoms joined together

  A water molecule has two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom.

• mom noun

  an informal word for mother

  My mom packed rice and lentils for my school lunch today.

  Like mother, mum

• moment noun

  a very short period of time; a particular point in time

  Wait a moment while I find my pencil.

  Like instant, second

• momentum noun

  the amount of motion a moving object has, from its mass and speed; growing strength or progress

  The heavy truck had so much momentum that it took a long time to stop.

  Like impetus, drive

• monetary adjective

  relating to money

  The prize had no monetary value, but the students were proud to win it.

  Like financial

• money noun

  coins and paper notes used to buy things

  She saved her money for months to buy a new bicycle.

  Like cash, funds

• monitor verb

  to watch or check something carefully over a period of time

  Scientists monitor the glaciers to see how fast they are melting.

  Like watch, check, track

• monkey noun

  an animal with long arms and usually a tail that lives in trees and is closely related to apes

  A monkey at Swayambhunath grabbed a banana from a tourist’s hand.

• monopoly noun

  complete control of a product or service by one company or person

  For many years, one company had a monopoly on telephone services in the country.

• month noun

  one of the twelve parts that a year is divided into

  Dashain usually falls in the month of October.

• monthly adjective

  happening or done once a month

  We pay a monthly bill for electricity.

• mood noun

  the way you feel at a particular time

  The sunny weather put everyone in a good mood.

  Like feeling, spirit

• moon noun

  the large round object that circles the Earth and shines at night

  The full moon lit up the whole valley.

• moral adjective

  relating to what is right and wrong in behavior

  Helping a friend in trouble is a moral choice.

  Like ethical

• morality noun

  beliefs about what is right and wrong behavior

  The story teaches children about morality and honesty.

  Like ethics, values, morals

• moreover adverb

  used to add more information to what was just said

  The hotel was cheap; moreover, it had a lovely view.

  Like also, furthermore, besides

• morning noun

  the early part of the day, from sunrise until noon

  In the morning, the mountains look golden in the sunlight.

  Like forenoon

• morphological adjective

  relating to the form and structure of living things or words

  Scientists compared the morphological features of the two kinds of beetles.

  Like structural

• morphology noun

  the study of the form and structure of living things or of words

  In biology, morphology helps scientists sort insects by the shape of their wings.

• mortality noun

  the number of deaths in a group over a period of time; the fact that every living thing must die

  Clean water and vaccines have greatly lowered child mortality in Nepal.

  Like death rate

• mortgage noun

  a loan from a bank to buy a house, paid back over many years

  My parents took out a mortgage to buy our house and will pay it back over twenty years.

• mostly adverb

  mainly; almost all

  The people in the village are mostly farmers.

  Like mainly, largely, chiefly

• mother noun

  a female parent

  My mother teaches science at a school in Patan.

  Like mom

• motif noun

  a pattern, shape or idea that is repeated in a design, story or piece of music

  The lotus flower is a common motif in Newari wood carving.

  Like pattern, design, theme

• motion noun

  the act or process of moving

  The gentle motion of the boat made me feel sleepy.

  Like movement

• motivate verb

  to make someone want to do something

  Our coach motivates us to train hard by setting small goals each week.

  Like inspire, encourage

• motivation noun

  a reason or desire to do something

  Her motivation for studying hard is to become a doctor.

  Like drive, reason, incentive

• motive noun

  a reason for doing something

  Her motive for learning Japanese was to read her favorite comics.

  Like reason, purpose

• motor noun

  a machine that makes something move

  The fan has a small electric motor that turns its blades.

  Like engine

• mount verb

  to climb up onto something; to fix something in place

  She mounted her bicycle and rode off to school.

  Like climb, get on

• mountain noun

  a very high hill

  Mount Everest is the highest mountain in the world.

  Like peak

• mouse noun

  a small animal with a long tail; a small device you move by hand to control a computer

  A mouse ran across the kitchen floor and hid behind the stove.

• mouth noun

  the opening in your face used for eating and speaking

  Please close your mouth when you chew your food.

• move verb

  to change position or place; to go to live somewhere else

  Please move your chair closer to the table.

  Like shift, go, relocate

• movement noun

  a change of position or place; a group of people working together for a shared aim

  The cat watched every movement of the mouse.

  Like motion

• movie noun

  a story shown with moving pictures on a screen

  We watched a movie about dinosaurs at the cinema.

  Like film

• multinational adjective

  operating in or involving several countries

  A multinational company has offices in Kathmandu, Delhi and Tokyo.

  Like international, global

• multiple adjective

  many, more than one

  The quiz had multiple questions on each topic.

  Like many, several

• multiply verb

  to add a number to itself a certain number of times; to increase greatly in number

  If you multiply 6 by 4, you get 24.

  Like increase

• murder noun

  the crime of killing a person on purpose

  In the mystery novel, the detective solves a murder in a quiet village.

  Like killing, homicide

• muscle noun

  a part of the body that tightens and relaxes to make you move

  Regular exercise makes the muscles in your legs stronger.

• museum noun

  a building where interesting old or important things are kept and shown

  We saw old tools and coins at the museum.

• music noun

  sounds arranged in a pleasing way, by singing or playing instruments

  We listened to music played on the madal and flute.

• musical adjective

  relating to music; good at music

  My sister is very musical and plays three instruments.

• musician noun

  a person who plays an instrument or sings, often as a job

  The musician played the sarangi beautifully at the school’s cultural program.

• mutation noun

  a change in the genes of a living thing that can be passed on to its young

  A mutation in one gene gave the moth darker wings.

  Like change, variation

• mutual adjective

  felt or done by each of two or more people toward the other

  The two scientists had mutual respect for each other’s work.

  Like shared, common

• mystery noun

  something strange that nobody can explain or understand

  How the ancient builders moved such huge stones is still a mystery.

  Like puzzle, riddle

• myth noun

  an ancient story about gods or heroes; a common belief that is not true

  It is a myth that goldfish remember things for only three seconds.

  Like legend, fable