16-letter words containing s, o, m, a
- kamerlingh-onnes — Heike (ˈhaɪkə). 1853–1926, Dutch physicist: a pioneer of the physics of low-temperature materials and discoverer (1911) of superconductivity. Nobel prize for physics 1913
- kaposi's sarcoma — a form of skin cancer found in Africans and more recently in victims of AIDS
- kekule's formula — the structural formula of benzene represented as a hexagonal ring with alternate single and double bonds between the carbon atoms.
- keratoacanthomas — Plural form of keratoacanthoma.
- kingdom of arles — a kingdom in SE France which had dissolved by 1378: known as the Kingdom of Burgundy until about 1200
- kleptoparasitism — The parasitic theft of captured prey, nest material, etc. from animals of the same or another species.
- knapsack problem — the problem of determining which numbers from a given collection of numbers have been added together to yield a specific sum: used in cryptography to encipher (and sometimes decipher) messages.
- knights of malta — the order of Hospitalers.
- kolyma mountains — a mountain range in NE Siberia, Russia, near the Sea of Okhotsk, rising to over 6000 feet (1830 meters).
- kunlun mountains — mountain system in W China, between Tibet & Xinjiang: highest peak, c. 25,300 ft (7,711 m)
- latissimus dorsi — a broad, flat muscle on each side of the midback, the action of which draws the arm backward and downward and rotates the front of the arm toward the body.
- law of parsimony — a principle according to which an explanation of a thing or event is made with the fewest possible assumptions.
- league champions — the team that has come top of the league
- leasehold reform — reform of the law relating to leasehold property
- long-tail claims — Long-tail claims are claims that are made or settled a long time after the insurance policy has expired.
- lourenco marques — former name of Maputo.
- luminosity class — a classification of stars of a given spectral type according to their luminosity, breaking them down into dwarfs, giants, and supergiants.
- machado de assiz — Joaquim Maria [zhaw-ah-kim mah-ree-ah] /ˈʒɔ ɑ kɪm mɑˈri ɑ/ (Show IPA), 1839–1908, Brazilian writer.
- macpherson strut — an automobile suspension-system component that consists of a strut combined with a spring and shock absorber and connects the wheel to the frame of the vehicle.
- macro-linguistic — a field of study concerned with language in its broadest sense and including cultural and behavioral features associated with language.
- macroinstruction — macro (def 5).
- macrolinguistics — a field of study concerned with language in its broadest sense and including cultural and behavioral features associated with language.
- macrorestriction — In physical gene mapping, the digestion of DNA of high molecular weight with a restriction enzyme having a low number of restriction sites.
- mad-dog skullcap — a North American skullcap, Scutellaria lateriflora, having underground stems and one-sided clusters of blue to white flowers.
- magazine section — a magazinelike section in the Sunday editions of many newspapers, containing articles rather than news items and often letters, reviews, stories, puzzles, etc.
- magmatic stoping — the process by which country rock is broken up and engulfed by the upward movement of magma
- magnesiochromite — (mineral) A chromite species with the formula MgCr2O4.
- magnetic compass — a compass having a magnetized needle generally in line with the magnetic poles of the earth.
- magnetoacoustics — (used with a singular verb) the branch of physics studying the effects of magnetism on acoustics or their interaction.
- magnetochemistry — the study of magnetic and chemical phenomena in their relation to one another.
- magnetoreceptors — Plural form of magnetoreceptor.
- magnetoresistive — Of or pertaining to magnetoresistance.
- magnetostriction — a change in dimensions exhibited by ferromagnetic materials when subjected to a magnetic field.
- magnetostrictive — Of or pertaining to magnetostriction.
- mail-order house — a retail firm that conducts its business by receiving orders and shipping its merchandise through the mail and that supplies its customers with catalogs, circulars, etc.
- make a go of sth — If you say that someone is making a go of something such as a business or relationship, you mean that they are having some success with it.
- make an issue of — If you make an issue of something, you try to make other people think about it or discuss it, because you are concerned or annoyed about it.
- make the best of — do what you can
- make the most of — in the greatest quantity, amount, measure, degree, or number: to win the most votes.
- malacostracology — (obsolete) carcinology, the study of crustaceans.
- malchus-porphyry — (Malchus) a.d. c233–c304, Greek philosopher.
- malcontentedness — not satisfied or content with currently prevailing conditions or circumstances.
- malicious damage — Malicious damage is damage caused on purpose to the property of another person.
- man of few words — man who speaks very little
- man of the house — the male head of a household.
- man on horseback — a military leader who presents himself as the savior of the country during a period of crisis and either assumes or threatens to assume dictatorial powers.
- manganese bronze — an alloy that is about 55 percent copper, 40 percent zinc, and up to 3.5 percent manganese.
- manganese nodule — a small irregular concretion found on deep ocean floors having high concentrations of certain metals, esp manganese
- manganese violet — a moderate to strong purple color.
- mangrove snapper — gray snapper.