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

machìne -sh-

machísmo mátch- or mətch- (the -tch- sound reflects the word's Spanish origin, so an Italian -k- 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

mâle man = mâil ''post

Màlè Maldives can be written Malé

Màli = BrE '''Màrley

'''málíce

malîgn -lîne

malígnant -lígnənt

måll shopping = måul violence (but, in London: The Máll and Páll Máll)

'''mállàrd

'''mállêable

Málory rhymes with '''Válerie

'''målt

'''Målta

'''Målvern

'''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 mânger, cf. '''mánager

'''mándarin

'''mándâte '''mándatory

mandolíne or '''mandolín

mâne horse = mâin principal = Mâine ''State

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

Màòri 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

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 *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

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 *Mélbən makes a minimal pair with Mílburn *Mílbən (BrE)

méltdown noun one word

'''même

meménto remember, cf. môment, moméntous time: 'remémber, a meménto ís an âid to yŏur 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: silent u, as in Spanish and Portuguese

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

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 nem-, silent '''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, cf. '''meménto

moméntous, 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)

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

'''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

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, mother BrE, 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, AmE Mú-, both -z-

'''múslin

mústáche AmE *mústásh; BrE moustàche *məstàsh

mústn’t *mússənt

mûte silent, cf. moôt mention

'''mŷ

Mỳanmar (*Mêeənmar) is perhaps the most common pronunciation of broadcasters, though "pronounce it the way you think is correct" seems to be the rule, with three versions each of y (consonant, êe and Î) and the first a (á, à and schwa): Myánmar, Myànmar, *Meeánmar, *Meeànmar, Mŷanmar; some still say Bürma (finally abandoned by the BBC in 2014, though Burmêse is still used)

mŷnah bird = BrE mînor lesser = mîner mines

'''mŷre

'''mýriad

'''mÿrtle

mýstery *mistry

mystìque *mistêek, cf. '''mistâke

'''mýth

'''myxomatôsis