English spellings/Catalogs/M

M = ém print

Mà Mother = BrE màr ruin = BrE Màrr ''person

Màasaî

Mac-, see also Mc-

macádam road = McÁdam person (from which it is derived); names begin Mac-, with or without a following capital, or Mc-, with a following capital, both pronounced Mək-

macán- is spelt mechán- (= McCánn)

macarôni, cf. original Italian maccheroni

MacGrégor or McGrégor *Məgrégor (before G, the c sound is lost)

machétê *məshétty

machinâtion -sh- or -k-

machìne -sh-

machísmo mátch- or mətch-: the normal ch sound reflects the word's Spanish origin, so an Italian-style k ("McKismo"?) sounds ignorant

mácho mátch-

Mácintyre = MácKintyre (the c of Mác/Mc always a hard k sound, including before a vowel)

'''máckerel

Macleod or MacLeod or McLeod *Məclòud

mádam ''shop, etc

madáme ''brothel

'''Madêira

mádeleine cake = Mádeleine Paris, person

mâde-up adjective before noun

mádman or -mán; one word

'''Madràs

madrássa is perhaps the most phonetic of the many spellings of *mədrássə/*mədràssə

'''mâelstrom

màêstro *mŷstro

Máfia BrE; AmE Màfia (small m when used figuratively)

'''magazìne

Mågdalen Oxford = Mågdalene Cambridge, both silent g = måudlin sentimental

Mágdalene Mary *Mágdəlín

magistêrial máj-, cf. '''májesty

mágistrâte máj-

mágnate power: mágnâte or = mágnet

mágnet magnetic

Maguîre = McGuîre *Məgwîə(r) *McGwîre

mâid servant = mâde make

'''Mâida Vâle

mâil letters = mâle female

mâin principle = mâne horse = Mâine America = Mâyne ''person

mâinstream one word

maî taî drink = '''mŷ tîe

mâize crop = mâze labyrinth = '''Mâys

májesty, cf. majéstic, magistêrial

Majŏrca *Məyŏrkə

'''majórity

mâkeshift one word

malâise = '''Malâys

'''malãria

Malâysia, cf. Âsia etc.

Málcolm person *Málcum, rhyming with tálcum powder

Maldìves *Mål-dêevz

mâle man = mâil ''post

Màlè Maldives can be written Malé

Màli = BrE '''Màrley

'''málíce

malîgn -lîne

malígnant -lígnənt

malínger

måll shopping = måul violence, or máll, and, in London, regularly The Máll and Páll Máll

'''mállàrd

'''mállêable

Málory rhymes with '''Válerie

'''målt

'''Målta

'''Målvern

màma, Màma; archaic Mamà, mamà

'''Mámmon

mán male = Mán Isle, Manchester = Mánn = Mánne persons, cf. '''mâne

mánakin - see '''mánnequin

'''Manàma

'''manatêe

Mánchester, cf. Chéster: both es in Mánchester are normally weak: *Mánchəstər, though some football pundits say "Mán Chéster"

'''Mancûnian '''mándarin

mándâte noun; mandâte, verb '''mándatory

mandolíne or '''mandolín

mâne horse = mâin principal = Mâine ''State

mânger -j-, cf. '''mánager

mângy -jy

'''mánhandle

'''mâniácal

máníkin, mánníkin - see '''mánnequin

Maníla

'''mán-mâde

mánna heaven BrE = mánor house = mánner ''way

mánnequin dummy = máníkin dwarf, model, cf. mánakin ''bird

manoeûvre BrE or manœûvre; AmE '''maneûver

manoeuvrabílity BrE; AmE maneuvrabílity, one word

mánslåughter *mánsslåwter'''

mántle, cf. méntal (minimal pair)

many rhymes with '''pénny

Màó rhymes with '''còw

Màóri rhymes with Lòwry

Mâpplethorpe Robert *Mâplethorpe: unusual flouting of double-consonant rule in person's name, cf. mâple tree, mápping ''map

márathon AmE ó; BrE o as schwa

Marbèlla *Màr-bâya

màrch walk = Màrch month

mãre horse = mãyor councillor = Mãir person

màrè plain (on the Moon or Mercury, plural mària)

margarìne màrj-

Màrgot -gô

Màrgolỳes -lêez

Marìa but: '''Bláck Marîa

mària moon (plural of màrè, dark "sea" area on Moon or Mercury)

Marîah Carey, cf. '''parîah

Márian, like Ísabél, has an o variant, '''Márion

'''Mariánne

Mariê is usual, but Màrie Lloyd, cf. '''Màry Celéste

'''marìna

'''marìne

máriner sailor = Márriner ''person

'''Mário

'''máritîme

màrk = '''Màrk

'''màrket

Màrlboro™ cigarette -bərə = Màrlborough ''person

Mårlborough town *Måwlbərə

'''màrmalâde

màrquess = '''màrquis

màrquetry *màrketry

Márrakesh or -ch, pronounced -'''sh

márriage *márij, cf. French mariage

Màrs Martian = màrs ''mar

Marsèille *Marssây

màrshal officer = Màrshall = Màrshal persons = màrtial war = Màrtial poet, minimal pair with Màrtian

màrten animal = màrtín bird = Màrtín ''person

Màrtìne ''feminine

màrtyr -tər

màrvel

Marvéll

Mãry, cf. márry; but '''Màry Celéste

Mãryland, Máryland

Márylebone *Márryləbən, *Màrləbən

māsk face = māsque ball BrE = AmE mósque ''Islam

'''Massachûsetts

mássacre -ker

'''mássacring

mássàge -àzh; AmE *məssàzh

massëuse -ëz; AmE -ûz

māsterpiece one word

māsterstroke one word

'''másturbate

'''Matabêlêlánd

matêrial: -al, unlike in French; cf. '''mátter

mátinèe *mátinây: matinée, French accent can be written in BrE but not in AmE

'''mâtrix

'''máttress

måudlin sentimental = Mågdalen Oxford = Mågdalene ''Cambridge

måul lion = måll ''shops

Maurice person BrE = Mórrís name; AmE Maurìce; see -óris in Retroalphabetical List

Mauritânia BrE *Morritânia

mauve colour *môav, cf. move *moôv ''movement

mâven, '''mâvin

Maximílian rhymes with '''míllion

mây perhaps = Mây ''month, person

mâybe perhaps: only when it means perhaps is it one word, cf. mây bê verbs: mâybe it’s trûe; ít mây bê trûe

'''mâyhém

mãyor councillor = mãre horse = Mãir person, cf. Mâyer person, '''mâjor

Mc-, see also Mac-

McCánn = first two syllables of '''mechánical

McEnroe *Máckenroe

McGóugh *MəGóff

McGuínness makes a minimal pair with '''McÍnnes

McIlroy *Máckilroy

McKénzie = MacKénzie = Mackénzie Mək-

McLeod *McLòud

McNamàra = Macnamàra

mê myself = Mêe ''person

'''mêad

'''méadôw

'''mêaly-mòuthed

mêan intend, generous = mìên face

méant mean, cf. -ment suffix

mêantime one word

mêasles rhymes with '''wêasels

méasure *mézher

mêat flesh = mêet up = mête appropriate

mêatball one word

mechánic məká-, cf. machìne məsh-

mechánical məká-

méchanism mékə-

médal medallion = méddle interfere

'''mêdia

'''mêdial

'''médical

Medìci *Mədêechee

médicine: the first i may be silent

medìêval or medìaêval *medì-êvəl or *medêvəl

Mediterrânean cf. ‘terra’, Latin for ‘earth’, so it is not spelt *Meditterânean

Medvédev *Midvyédiff

mê = Mêe

mêet encounter = mêat eat = mête suitable, out

'''megalomâniac

'''megalomanîacal

Mégan

melanchôlia -nk-

mélancholy -nk-

Melanêsia

Mélanie, cf. mélody, '''Delâney

Mélbourne *Mélbə(r)n makes a minimal pair with Mílburn *Mílbə(r)n

méltdown noun one word

'''même

meménto remember, cf. môment, moméntous, moméntum time: 'A meménto, remémber, ís an âid to mémory, an aide-memoire''...

mémoir *mémwàr (no final -e unlike in French original)

ménace rhymes with Dénnis and ténnis (-əss or -íss)

'''menágerie

* mént: méant is the past tense of mêan; -ment, the suffix, is more common

méntal, cf. mántle (minimal pair)

'''méntǒr

ménû *ményu rhymes with vénue

Ménuhin *Ményuwin

Ménzíes Robert

Menzies Campbell *Míngiz, standard Scots pronunciation

Méopham *Méppəm

'''mêre

mërger makes a minimal pair with mürder

meringue *məráng

'''mërmaid

'''mesméric

'''mésmerise

'''méssage

'''méssenger

Méssiàen

Méssrs Mister, cf. mésser mess

Mésurier John le = méasurer measure

métal metallic = méttle quality

metamŏrphôsis - either stressed

mête suitable, out = mêet encounter = mêat animal

meteorólogy mê-

mêter machine = mêtre distance, rhythm BrE; all three meanings in AmE are '''mêter

méthane AmE; BrE '''mêthane

methínks one word *mê thínks

'''méthod

'''methódical

'''méthýl

'''méthylâted spírits

mètièr can have French accent métier *mâytiay

meŵ cat = mû ''Greek

meŵs street, cat = mûse ''think, inspiration

mézzanìne méts- or méz-

mézzo *métso

mì doh-re-mi = mê ''I

Miámì *Mŷ-ámmy

'''miaòw

mîc = mîke microphone = Mîke ''Michael

'''mîca

Mîchael *Mŷcle, rhyming with '''cŷcle

Michâela *Mí-kâylə

Míchaelmas *Míckleməs

Míckey Mouse, etc = '''Míckie

mîcro-

mîcrô-ŏrganism hyphenated

míd does not require hyphen

middây (pronounced like two words: pause on d sound to indicate both ds pronounced, but no hyphen between them)

Míddlesbrough England *Míddlzbrə; cf. Míddlesborough ''Kentucky

mídnight *mídnîte

'''mídwîfe

'''midwífery

mìên face = mêan ''intend, ungenerous

míffed rhymes with ríft etc.

mîght perhaps, power = mîte ''small, arachnid

mìgraine BrE; AmE '''mîgraine

mîgrant

migrâte = '''my grâte

Miguél: Spanish and Portuguese silent u (which keeps the g hard) is pronounced w by some anglophones

mîke = mîc microphone = Mîke ''Michael

Milán city, second syllable stressed

Mìlán person, football *Mêelán, first syllable stressed: boy's name and, from Milanese, can be used when referring to AC Milan football club

mîles mile = Mîles ''person

'''Mílibánd

mílitant makes a minimal pair with Míllicent

'''mílitary

milítia *milíshə

'''millénnium

'''míllipede

Milwåukee

mímic rhymes with '''gímmick

'''minarét

mînd brain, care = mîned ''mining

mîndset noun one word mîne ''me, bomb, coal

mînefield one word

mîner coal = mînor ''small, young, major

'''minestrônê

míni small = Mínnie person

míniature *mínitcher

'''mínímum

mínistry, cf. '''mónastery

mínkê *mínky

'''mínstrel

'''mînus

mínuscule, now also '''míniscule

mínute time *mínít

minûte tiny = mŷ neŵt

minûtiae *minûshî or *minûshìî

'''mîre

mís- joined, not hyphenated; = míss = '''Míss

miscellâneous -səl-

miscéllany -sél-

'''míschíef

'''míschíevous

'''misconcéption

mîser

'''míserable

misére (or as French, misère) *mí-zér

'''mísery

mísháp *míss-háp

'''mislêad

'''misléd

'''misnômer

'''misógynist

'''misquôte

míss aim = Míss female = mís- ''wrong

míssal prayers = AmE míssile hit, cf. BrE pronunciation '''míssîle

misshâpen *míss-shâpen

'''Mississíppì

Missoûrì *Mizoôry; some AmE speakers say *Mízoôrə

'''misspéll

místral wind, cf. místrîal ''trial

'''misunderstánding

'''misûse

mîte small, arachnid = mîght ''perhaps, power

Mládic *Mláditch, two syllables

mnemónic, silent initial '''m

môbîle ''move

Môbìle ''Alabama

'''Môbley

módel *móddle, cf. '''môtél

móderate tempered, móderâte ''verb

'''môdus operándî

'''môdus vivéndì

Mohámmed is probably more common in British English, Muhámmad in American, e.g. the boxer Muhámmad Alì; also variants Mohámed Morsi, etc.; *Məhámid, *Məháməd

'''mŏist

mŏisten *mŏissən

Mojàvê *Məhàvì

môld American English = môuld ''British English

'''mólecule

'''molécular

'''molést

móllycoddled one word

Mólotov -f

Mólineûx *Móllyneŵ

móllusc (AmE also móllusk)

móm mother (*màhm: AmE equivalent of BrE múm, but it does not rhyme with súm, nor with BrE Tóm)

Mombása *Mombássa

môment, moméntous, moméntum, cf. '''meménto

'''Mónaco

mónarch BrE -nək, AmE -nrk or -nàrk

Mónbìôt *Mónbeêo

Monegásque -ásk

mónestery *mónistry, cf. '''mínistry

'''mònetary

mòney

mòngrel

mónicker name = móniker name; BrE = Mónica ''person

mòníes = mòneys and mòníed = mòneyed, variant spellings

'''mónitor

'''mònk

monópoly = Monópoly game (Monópoly mòney)

'''mónster

'''mónstrous

Móntagûe or -û

Montána BrE and AmE, cf. AmE banána but BrE banàna, with the usual BrE pronunciation of this ending (also Alabáma and Louisiána are both BrE and AmE)

Montenêgro, Montenégro

Monterrèy

'''Montevidèo

Montgómery = '''Montgómerie

mònth *múnth, cf. mòunt *màoont

Montreål *Móntry-åll

Montrëux *Montrüh *Montrër

moôg or *môag; or M-

'''moôn

mŏor land = mŏre plus = Mŏore = Mŏre ''names

moôt mention, late, cf. mûte ''silent

môped ''mope

môpéd ''bike

móral BrE, AmE mŏral ''virtuous

morāle confidence

'''moratǒrium

'''moreôver

mŏrès -âyz

móribund

mŏrning early = mŏurning ''death

Morócco

'''mŏron

Mórris person BrE = Maurice person, rhyming with lóris, Bóris and Dóris (all ŏ in AmE)

mŏrtgage *mŏrgij

mŏrtíce or '''mŏrtíse

mosâíc pattern = Mosâíc Jewish *môzâíc

Móscôw; some AmE speakers say Móscòw

mósque Islam *mósk AmE = BrE māsk face = másque ball, cf. músk

mosquìto -skêeto

môte eye = môat ''castle

móthball one word

motìf pattern mô-, cf. môtive ''reason

mótto

moûe pout = moô ''cow

môuld British English = môld American English

mòuntaínous -tínəss

mŏurn dead = mŏrn morning

mòuse rodent, cf. '''moûsse

Mòusehole Cornwall *Mòuzəl (cf. mòusehôle mouse, as two words)

moûsse chocolate = moôse animal, cf. '''mòuse

moustāche BrE *məstàsh; AmE mústache, *mústásh

mòuth noun th unvoiced, verb th voiced, same spelling, cf. bréath noun th unvoiced, brêathe adding an e when becoming a verb, th also voiced

mòuthpiece one word

move moving *mûve, cf. mauve colour *môve

Môzart *Môatsart

Mr abbreviation of míster, full form rarely used

Mrs *míssíz; abbreviation of míssis or míssus, of which the full form is rarely used; = mísses mistakes, girls

mû Greek = meŵ ''cat

'''Mubārak

'''mûcus

mûesli *meŵsley

'''muézzin

Muhámmad, see '''Mohámmed

Mûïr name *meŵer

mujahidêen is one of many spellings

'''múlct

múll over = Múll ''Scotland

múlti- is a prefix, not a word, and must be either joined to the next word, as in múltitask, or hyphenated, as always before a following vowel, as in '''múlti-instruméntalist

múltiplŷ verb

múltiplỳ adverb

múm quiet, BrE mother, cf. AmE móm mother

Mumbaî, Mùmbaî, Múmbaî

múmmy body, mother BrE, cf. AmE mómmy mother

múnch -ch sound, cf. Édvàrd Mùnch, *Moònk

Mûnich -ík

'''mürder

Mürdoch -ók or -ókh

'''mürky

mürmur cf. mürder, minimal pair

Mürphy *Mërfie

Múrraỳ = Mòray Firth = Múrry, cf. '''húrry

múscle body = mússel shellfish

'''Múscovite

mûse think, inspiration = meŵs street, cat

musêum mûz-

mûsic current = mûsick archaic

músk makes a minimal pair with '''mósque

Mùslim BrE, some AmE Mú-, both -z-

'''múslin

mústáche AmE *mústásh; BrE moustàche *məstàsh

mústn’t *mússənt

mûte silent, cf. moôt mention

'''mŷ

Myánmàr is the intended pronunciation, echoing the two-syllable stress pattern of Bürma (they are variants of the same original), though a very common broadcast pronunciation is Mỳanmàr (sounding in BrE like mê 'n' Mà): the y, a semiconsonant, is instead being vocalised; meanwhile, some still say Bürma, and there is no sign of Burmêse being replaced

mŷnah bird = BrE mînor lesser = mîner mines

'''mŷre

'''mýriad

'''mÿrtle

mýstery *místry

mystìque *mistêek, cf. '''mistâke

'''mýth

'''myxomatôsis