14-letter words starting with m
- merchant guild — a medieval guild composed of merchants.
- mercuric oxide — a slightly crystalline, water-soluble, poisonous compound, HgO, occurring as a coarse, orange-red powder (red mercuric oxide) or as a fine, orange-yellow powder (yellow mercuric oxide) used chiefly as a pigment in paints and as an antiseptic in pharmaceuticals.
- mercury switch — an especially quiet switch that opens and closes an electric circuit by shifting a vial containing a pool of mercury so as to cover or uncover the contacts.
- meretriciously — In a meretricious manner.
- meridian angle — the angle, measured eastward or westward through 180°, between the celestial meridian of an observer and the hour circle of a celestial body.
- merionethshire — a historic county in Gwynedd, in N Wales.
- mermaid tavern — an inn formerly located on Bread Street, Cheapside, in the heart of old London: a meeting place and informal club for Elizabethan playwrights and poets.
- merritt island — a town in E Florida.
- merry-go-round — Also called carousel, carrousel. (in amusement parks, carnivals, etc.) a revolving, circular platform with wooden horses or other animals, benches, etc., on which people may sit or ride, usually to the accompaniment of mechanical or recorded music.
- merthyr tydfil — an administrative district in Mid Glamorgan, in S Wales. 43 sq. mi. (113 sq. km).
- mesaticephalic — (anatomy) Having a cranium with a medium ratio of length to breadth.
- mesdemoiselles — a plural of mademoiselle.
- mesencephalons — Plural form of mesencephalon.
- mesh stockings — stockings with a netted pattern or made out of a netted material such as lace or netted nylon
- message center — an office or other area where incoming and outgoing messages, mail, etc., are received and transmitted, as by telephone, computer, or messenger.
- messier number — a number (preceded by M) designating the 109 double stars, clusters, nebulae, and galaxies in the Messier catalog.
- met enkephalin — either of two pentapeptides that bind to morphine receptors in the central nervous system and have opioid properties of relatively short duration; one pentapeptide (Met enkephalin) has the amino acid sequence Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Met and the other (Leu enkephalin) has the sequence Tyr-Gly-Gly-Phe-Leu.
- meta-case tool — A term sometimes used for software packages (like TBK or VSF) which allow users to develop or customise their own CASE tools.
- meta-cognitive — higher-order thinking that enables understanding, analysis, and control of one’s cognitive processes, especially when engaged in learning.
- metabolic heat — animal heat.
- metabolic rate — the rate at which living organisms expend energy or convert energy into food
- metachromatism — change of color, especially that due to variation in the temperature of a body.
- metafictionist — A writer of metafiction.
- metal detector — an electronic device for detecting the presence of metal objects, as one used as a portable sweeping unit or one emplaced in an archway at an airport terminal to detect concealed weapons, explosives, etc.
- metal paste-up — a method for making up a form for printing in which engravings mounted on blocks are positioned on and pasted to a metal base.
- metal spraying — a process in which a layer of one metal is sprayed onto another in the molten state
- metalinguistic — Pertaining to metalinguistics.
- metallic glass — glassy alloy.
- metalloenzymes — Plural form of metalloenzyme.
- metallogenetic — metallogenic
- metallokinesis — (science fiction): The psychic ability to manipulate or control metals.
- metallotherapy — therapy by the use of metals or their salts.
- metamorphizing — Present participle of metamorphize.
- metamorphosing — to change the form or nature of; transform.
- metamorphosise — (UK, nonstandard) To metamorphose.
- metamorphosize — (US, nonstandard) To undergo the process of metamorphosis; to metamorphose.
- metanarratives — Plural form of metanarrative.
- metanephridium — (anatomy) A vasiform excretory gland observed in invertebrates, such as annelids, arthropods and molluscs.
- metaphorically — a figure of speech in which a term or phrase is applied to something to which it is not literally applicable in order to suggest a resemblance, as in “A mighty fortress is our God.”. Compare mixed metaphor, simile (def 1).
- metaphosphates — Plural form of metaphosphate.
- metaphosphoric — applied to an acid (HPO3) containing a molecule less of water than orthophosphoric acid
- metaphysically — pertaining to or of the nature of metaphysics.
- metaphysicians — Plural form of metaphysician.
- metaplasticity — Any activity-dependent change to neural function that modulates subsequent synaptic plasticity.
- metapragmatics — Language that characterizes or describes the pragmatic function of some speech.
- metapsychology — speculative thought dealing systematically with concepts extending beyond the limits of psychology as an empirical science.
- metastasectomy — (surgery) Surgical removal of the metastases (cancerous growths).
- metastatically — In a metastatic manner.
- metatextuality — A form of intertextual discourse in which one text makes critical commentary on another.
- metatheatrical — Of or pertaining to metatheatre.