A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

mascara --- 1890, from Sp. mascara "stain, mask," from same source as It. maschera "mask" (see mask).

mascot --- 1881, from provincial Fr. mascotte "sorcerer's charm, 'faerie friend,' good luck piece," from Prov. mascoto "sorcery, fetish" (cf. Narbonnese manuscript, 1233, mascotto "procuress, enchantment, bewitchment in gambling"), from masco "witch," from O.Prov. masca, from M.L. masca "mask, specter, nightmare" (see mask). Popularized by Fr. composer Edmond Audran's 1880 operetta "Le Mascotte."

masculine --- c.1374, "belonging to the male sex," from O.Fr. masculin "of the male sex," from L. masculinus "male, of masculine gender," from masculus, dim. of mas (gen. maris) "male person, male," of unknown origin. Grammatical sense first recorded c.1380. Meaning "having the appropriate qualities of the male sex, manly, virile, powerful" is first attested 1629.

maser --- 1955, acronym from "microwave amplification (by) stimulated emission (of) radiation."

mash (n.) --- late O.E. masc-wyrt "mash-wort, infused malt," from P.Gmc. *maisk- (cf. Swed. mäsk "grains for pigs," Ger. Maisch "crushed grapes," O.E. meox "dung, filth), from PIE *meigh- "to sprinkle" (cf. O.E. miscian "to mix," Skt. mehati "urinates," Gk. omeikhein, L. meiere "to urinate," Pol. miazga "sap"). Originally a word in brewing; general sense of "anything reduced to a soft pulpy consistency" is recorded from 1598. Short for mashed potatoes it is attested from 1904. The verb is O.E. mæscan, from the noun.

masher --- 1875, Amer.Eng., perhaps in use from 1860, probably from mash (n.) on notion either of "pressing one's attentions," or of "crushing someone else's emotions."

mashie --- five iron, 1881, from Scot., probably from Fr. massue "club," from V.L. *mattiuca, from L. mateola "a tool for digging" (see mace (1)).

mask (n.) --- 1534, from M.Fr. masque "covering to hide or guard the face," from It. maschera, from M.L. masca "mask, specter, nightmare," of uncertain origin, perhaps from Arabic maskhara "buffoon," from sakhira "to ridicule." Or via Prov. mascarar, Catalan mascarar, O.Fr. mascurer "to black (the face)," perhaps from a Gmc. source akin to Eng. mesh (q.v.). But cf. Occitan mascara "to blacken, darken," derived from mask- "black," which is held to be from a pre-I.E. language, and Old Occitan masco "witch," surviving in dialects; in Beziers it means "dark cloud before the rain comes." [See Walther von Wartburg, "Französisches Etymologisches Wörterbuch: Eine Darstellung galloromanischen sprachschatzes"] The verb meaning "to wear a mask" is from 1588; in the extended sense of "disguise," is attested from 1847. Masking tape first recorded 1936; so called because it is used to block out certain surfaces before painting.

masochism --- sexual pleasure in being hurt or abused, 1893, from Ger. Masochismus, coined 1883 by Ger. neurologist Richard von Krafft-Ebing (1840-1902), from name of Leopold von Sacher-Masoch (1836-95), Austrian novelist who enshrined his submissive sexuality in "Venus in Furs."

mason --- c.1205, from O.Fr. masson (O.N.Fr. machun), probably from Frank. *makjo (cf. O.H.G. steinmezzo "stone mason," related to mahhon "to make;" see make (v.)). But it also may be from, or influenced by, M.L. machio, matio (7c.) which is said by Isidore to be derived from machina (see machine). The word also may be from the root of L. maceria "wall." Meaning "a Freemason" is attested from 1425 in Anglo-Fr. Masonry "stonework" is attested from c.1366.

Mason jar --- 1885, named for John L. Mason of New York, who patented it in 1858.

Mason-Dixon Line --- 1779, named for Charles Mason and Jeremiah Dixon, Eng. astronomers who surveyed (1763-7) the disputed boundary between the colonial holdings of the Penns and the Calverts. It became the technical boundary between "free" and "slave" states after 1804, when the last Northern state (New Jersey) passed its abolition act. As the line between "the North" and "the South" in U.S. culture, it is attested from 1834.

Masonite --- 1926, proprietary name of a type of fiberboard, by Mason Fibre Company, Laurel, Miss.

masque --- masquerade, masked ball, 1514, from M.Fr. masque (see mask). Originally the same word, it developed a special sense of "amateur theatrical performance" (1562) in Elizabethan times, when such entertainments (originally performed in masks) were popular among the nobility.

masquerade (n.) --- 1597, from Fr. mascarade or Sp. mascarada "masked party or dance," from It. mascarata "a ball at which masks are worn," var. of mascherata "masquerade," from maschera (see mask). Fig. sense of "false outward show" is from 1674. The verb is attested from 1692.

mass (1) --- lump, quantity, size, c.1400, from O.Fr. masse "lump" (11c.), from L. massa "kneaded dough, lump, that which adheres together like dough," from Gk. maza "barley cake, lump, mass, ball," related to massein "to knead," from PIE base *mag-/*meg- "to knead" (cf. Lith. minkyti "to knead," see macerate). Sense extended 1585 to "a large quantity, amount, or number." Strict sense in physics is from 1704. Verb meaning "to gather in a mass" is attested from 1563. The masses "people of the lower class" is from 1837. Mass meeting is first attested 1733 in Amer.Eng.; mass production is from 1920; and mass media is first recorded 1923.

mass (2) --- Eucharistic service, O.E. mæsse, from V.L. *messa "eucharistic service," lit. "dismissal," from L.L. missa "dismissal," fem. pp. of mittere "to let go, send," from concluding words of the service, Ite, missa est, "Go, (the prayer) has been sent," or "Go, it is the dismissal."

Massachusetts --- plural, originally (1614) in ref. to the Algonquian native people who lived around the bay, from Algonquian Massachusett "at the large hill," in ref. to Great Blue Hill, southwest of Boston.

massacre (v.) --- 1581, from M.Fr. massacre "wholesale slaughter, carnage," from O.Fr. macacre, macecle "slaughterhouse, butchery," perhaps from L. macellum "provisions store, butcher shop." The noun is attested from 1586.

massage (n.) --- 1876, from Fr. massage "friction of kneading," from masser "to massage," possibly from Arabic massa "to touch, feel, handle;" if so, probably picked up in Egypt during the Napoleonic campaign there. Other possibility is that Fr. got it in colonial India from Port. amassar "knead," a verb from L. massa "mass, dough" (see mass (1)). The verb is attested from 1887. Masseur, fem. masseuse, both dating to 1876, are from Fr. masser. Massage parlor first attested 1913, from the start a euphemism for "house of prostitution."

massive --- c.1408, from M.Fr. massif (fem. massiv) "bulky, solid," from O.Fr. masse "lump" (see mass (1)). The un-Anglicized massif (1524) is also still occasionally used for "cluster of hills."

mast (1) --- long pole on a ship to support the sail, O.E. mæst, from P.Gmc. *mastaz (cf. O.N. mastr, Du., Ger. mast), from PIE *mazdos "a pole, rod" (cf. L. malus "mast," O.Ir. matan "club," Ir. maide "a stick," O.C.S. mostu "bridge"). Masthead is from 1748 as "top of a ship's mast" (the place for the display of flags), hence, from 1838, "top of a newspaper." The single mast of an old ship was the boundary between quarters of officers and crew, hence before the mast in the title of Dana's book, etc.

mast (2) --- fallen nuts; food for swine, O.E. mæst, from P.Gmc. *mastaz (cf. Du., Ger. mast "mast," O.E. verb mæsten "to fatten, feed"), perhaps from PIE *mazdo-/*maddo- "to be fat, to flow" (cf. Skt. meda "fat," Goth. mats "food," see meat).

mastectomy --- 1923, formed from Gk. ectome "a cutting" + mastos "woman's breast," from base madan "to be wet, to flow," from PIE *mad- "wet, moist, dripping" (cf. L. madere "be moist;" Skt. mad- "bubble, be glad," medah "fat, marrow," madati "is drunk;" Alb. mend "suckle").

master (n.) --- O.E. mægester "one having control or authority," from L. magister "chief, head, director, teacher" (cf. O.Fr. maistre, Fr. maître, It. maestro, Ger. Meister), infl. in M.E. by O.Fr. maistre, from L. magister, contrastive adj. from magis (adv.) "more," itself a comp. of magnus "great." Meaning "original of a recording" is from 1904. In academic senses (from M.L. magister) it is attested from 1380s, originally a degree conveying authority to teach in the universities. The verb is attested from c.1225.

mastermind --- 1720, "an outstanding intellect," from master + mind. Meaning "head of a criminal enterprise" is first attested 1872.

masterpiece --- 1605, from master + piece. A translation of Du. meesterstuk "work by which a craftsman attains the rank of master" (cf. Ger. Meisterstück).

mastic --- resin obtained from certain trees, 1373, from O.Fr. mastic, from L.L. mastichum, from L. mastiche, from Gk. mastikhe, probably related to masasthai "to chew" (see mastication). The substance is used as a chewing gum in the East.

mastication --- 1565, from L. masticationem (nom. masticatio), from masticare "to chew" (cf. O.Fr. maschier, Fr. mâcher), probably from Gk. mastikhan "to gnash the teeth," related to mastax "mouth, jaws," and masasthai "to chew," from PIE *menth- "to chew, mouth" (cf. L. mandere "to chew," Goth. munþs, O.E. muð "mouth").

mastiff --- large, powerful breed of dog, c.1330, from O.Fr. mastin or Prov. mastis, both from V.L. *mansuetinus "domesticated," from L. mansuetus "tame, gentle" (see mansuetude). Form infl. by O.Fr. mestif "mongrel."

mastodon --- 1813, from Mod.L. genus name Mastodon (1806), coined by Georges Cuvier from Gk. mastos "breast" + odont- "tooth," so called from the nipple-like projections on the crowns of the extinct mammal's fossil molars.

mastoid --- 1732, from Gk. mastoeides "resembling a breast," from mastos "breast" (see mastectomy) + -oeides "like," from eidos "form, shape" (see -oid).

masturbation --- 1766, from Mod.L. masturbationem, from L. masturbatus, pp. of masturbari, altered (probably by influence of turbare "to stir up") from *manstuprare, from manu, abl. of manus "hand" (see manual) + stuprare "defile" (oneself), from stuprum "defilement, dishonor," related to stupere "to be stunned, stupefied" (see stupid). Earlier Onanism (q.v.). The verb masturbate is first recorded 1857.

mat --- O.E. matte, from L.L. matta "mat made of rushes" (4c.), probably from Punic or Phoenician (cf. Heb. mittah "bed, couch"). Meaning "piece of padded flooring used in gymnastics or wrestling" is attested from 1903. Matted "tangled and lying flat" (of hair, etc.) is from 1613.

Mata Hari --- stage name taken by Margaretha Gertruida Zelle (1876-1917), from Malay mata "eye" + hari "day, dawn."

matador --- 1674, from Sp. matador, lit. "killer," from matar "to kill or wound," probably from Arabic mata "he died," from Persian (see second element in checkmate).

match (1) --- stick for striking fire, 1377, "wick of a candle or lamp," from O.Fr. meiche "wick of a candle," from V.L. *micca/*miccia (cf. Catalan metxa, Sp. mecha, It. miccia), probably ult. from L. myxa, from Gk. myxa "lamp wick," originally "mucus," based on notion of wick dangling from the spout of a lamp like snot from a nostril. Meaning "piece of cord or splinter of wood soaked in sulphur, used for lighting fires, lamps, candles, etc." is from 1530. First used 1831 for the modern type of friction match, and competed with lucifer for much of 19c. as the name for this invention.

match (2) --- one of a pair, O.E. mæcca, from gemæcca "companion, mate, wife, one suited to another," from P.Gmc. *gamakon "fitting well together" (cf. O.H.G. gimah "comfort, ease," M.H.G. gemach "comfortable, quiet"), from PIE base *mak-/*mag- "to fit" (see make (v.)). M.E. sense of "matching adversary, person able to contend with another" (c.1300) led to sporting meaning "contest," first attested 1545. Match-maker "marriage-broker" is attested from c.1639.

matchcoat --- fur-skinned mantle worn by Native Americans, 1642, originally matchco, probably a native word (cf. Ojibwa majigoode "petticoat, woman's dress"), altered by infl. of coat (n.).

mate (n.) --- companion, associate, fellow, comrade, c.1380, from M.L.G. mate, gemate "one eating at the same table, messmate," from P.Gmc. *ga-maton "having food (*matiz) together (*ga-)," which is etymologically identical with companion (q.v.). Meaning "one of a wedded pair" is attested from 1549. Used as a form of address by sailors, laborers, etc., since at least 1450. Meaning "officer on a merchant vessel is from 1496. The verb, of animals, "to pair for the purpose of breeding" is first recorded 1601. The verb in chess (c.1320) is short for checkmate (q.v.) and is not related.

material --- c.1386 (adj.) "pertaining to matter," a term in scholastic philosophy and theology, from L.L. materialis (adj.) "of or belonging to matter," from L. materia "matter, stuff, wood, timber" (see matter). The noun is attested from 1556. Materialism is 1748 as a philosophy that nothing exists except matter (from Fr.); 1851 (in Hawthorne) as "a way of life based entirely on consumer goods." Materialize "appear in bodily form" dates from 1880, from spiritualism.

materiel --- 1814, from Fr. matériel "material," from O.Fr. materiel (adj.), from L. materialis "of matter," from materia "substance" (see matter). A later borrowing of the same word that became material.

maternal --- 1481, from O.Fr. maternel (14c.), from V.L. *maternalis, from L. maternus "maternal, of a mother," from mater "mother" (see mother).

maternity --- 1611, "quality or condition of being a mother," from Fr. maternité "motherhood," from M.L. maternitatem (nom. maternitas), from L. maternus (see maternal). Used from 1893 in ref. to garments designed for pregnant women.

mathematic --- c.1380 as singular, replaced by early 17c. by mathematics (1581), from L. mathematica (pl.), from Gk. mathematike tekhne "mathematical science," fem. sing. of mathematikos (adj.) "relating to mathematics, scientific," from mathema (gen. mathematos) "science, knowledge, mathematical knowledge," related to manthanein "to learn," from PIE base *mn-/*men-/*mon- "to think, have one's mind aroused" (cf. Gk. menthere "to care," Lith. mandras "wide-awake," O.C.S. madru "wise, sage," Goth. mundonsis "to look at," Ger. munter "awake, lively"). Mathematics (pl.) originally denoted the mathematical sciences collectively, including geometry, astronomy, optics. Math is the Amer.Eng. shortening, attested from 1890; the British preference, maths is attested from 1911.

Matilda --- fem. proper name, from Fr. Mathilde, of Gmc. origin, lit. "mighty in battle," cf. O.H.G. Mahthilda, from mahti "might, power" + hildi "battle."

matinee --- 1848, from Fr. matinée (musicale), from matin "morning" (with a sense here of "daytime"), from O.Fr. matines (see matins).

matins --- c.1250, from O.Fr. matines, from L.L. matutinas (nom. matutinæ) "morning prayers," originally matutinas vigilias "morning watches," from L. matutinus "of or in the morning," associated with Matuta, Roman dawn goddess (see mañana). The O.E. word was uht-sang, from uhte "daybreak."

matriarch --- 1606, from matri-, comb. form of L. mater (gen. matris) "mother" + -arch, abstracted from patriarch. Matriarchy formed in Eng. 1885.

matricide --- 1594, from Fr. matricide, from L. matricida "mother-killer," and matricidium "mother-killing," from mater "mother" + -cida "killer," and -cidium "a killing," from cadere "to slay" (see case (1)).

matriculate (v.) --- 1577, "to admit a student to a college by enrolling his name on the register," from M.L. *matriculare "to register," from L.L. matricula "public register," dim. of L. matrix (gen. matricis) "list, roll," also "sources, womb" (see matrix). The connection of senses in the L. word seems to be via confusion of Gk. metra "womb" (from meter "mother") and an identical Gk. word meaning "register, lot." Evidently L. matrix was used to translate both, though it originally only shared meaning with one.

matrimony --- 1303, from O.Fr. matremoine, from L. matrimonium "wedlock, marriage," from matrem (nom. mater) "mother" + -monium, suffix signifying "action, state, condition."

matrix --- 1373, from O.Fr. matrice, from L. matrix (gen. matricis) "pregnant animal," in L.L. "womb," also "source, origin," from mater (gen. matris) "mother." Sense of "place or medium where something is developed" is first recorded 1555; sense of "embedding or enclosing mass" first recorded 1641. Logical sense of "array of possible combinations of truth-values" is attested from 1914.

matron --- c.1375, "married woman" (usually one of rank), from O.Fr. matrone, from L. matrona "married woman," from mater (gen. matris) "mother." Sense of "female manager of school, hospital, etc." first recorded 1557.

matte (adj.) --- 1648, "lusterless," from Fr. mat "dull, dead surface," from O.Fr. mat "beaten down, withered," probably from L. mattus "maudlin with drink," from madere "to be wet or sodden, be drunk," from PIE base *mad- "to be wet, drip" (see mastectomy). Noun sense "backing for a picture" is an 1845 borrowing from Fr.

matter --- c.1300, "material of thought, speech, or expression," from Anglo-Norm. matere, from L. materia "substance from which something is made," also "hard inner wood of a tree" (cf. Port. madeira "wood"), perhaps from mater "origin, source, mother." Or, on another theory, it represents *dmateria, from PIE root *dem-/*dom- (cf. L. domus "house," Eng. timber). With sense development influenced by Gk. hyle, of which it was the equivalent in philosophy. Meaning "substance of which physical objects are made" is attested from c.1340. That of "grounds, reason, or cause for something" also is first recorded 1340. The verb meaning "to be of importance or consequence" is from 1581. What is the matter "what concerns (someone)" is attested from 1469. Matter of fact (1580) originally a legal term (translating L. res facti), "that portion of an enquiry concerned with the truth or falsehood of alleged facts," opposed to matter of law. Meaning "prosaic, unimaginative" is from 1787.

Matthew --- masc. proper name, introduced in England by the Normans, from O.Fr. Mathieu, from L.L. Matthaeus, from Gk. Matthaios, contraction of Mattathias, from Heb. Mattathyah "gift of Jehovah," from mattath "gift." Variant Matthias is from the Gk. version.

mattock --- O.E. mættoc, probably from V.L. *matteuca "club," related to L. mateola, a kind of mallet (see mace (1)), but this is not certain, and synonymous Rus. motyka, Lith. matikkas suggest other possibilities.

mattress --- c.1290, from O.Fr. materas, from It. materasso, from M.L. matracium, borrowed in Sicily from Arabic al-matrah "the cushion" (cf. Sp. almadraque "mattress"), lit. "the thing thrown down," from taraha "he threw (down)."

mature (v.) --- 1392, (implied in maturative), from L. maturare "to ripen," from maturus "ripe, timely, early," related to manus "good" and mane "early, of the morning" (see mañana). The financial sense of "reach the time for payment" is from 1861. The adj. is first recorded 1454, from the noun. Maturity (c.1375) is from L. maturitatem (nom. maturitas) "ripeness," from maturus "ripe."

matzoh --- flat piece of unleavened bread eaten by Jews during the Passover, 1846, from Heb. matztzah (pl. matztzoth) "unleavened bread," lit. "juiceless," from stem of matzatz "he sucked out, drained out."

Maud --- fem. proper name, from O.Fr. Mahaut, from Gmc. (cf. O.H.G. Mahthilda; see Matilda).

maudlin --- 1607, "tearful," from M.E. proper name Maudelen (c.1320), from Magdalene (O.Fr. Madelaine), woman's name, originally surname of Mary, the repentant sinner forgiven by Jesus in Luke vii.37 (see Magdalene). In paintings, she was often shown weeping as a sign of repentance. Meaning "characterized by tearful sentimentality" is recorded from c.1631.

maul (v.) --- c.1240, meallen "strike with a heavy weapon," from M.E. mealle (c.1240) "mace, wooden club, heavy hammer," from O.Fr. mail (see mallet). The meaning "damage seriously, shatter, mangle" is first recorded 1692.

maulstick --- light stick used by painters to support the painting hand, 1658, from Du. maalstok, from mallen "to paint" + stock "stick."

maunder --- to wander about aimlessly, c.1746, earlier "to mumble, grumble" (1621), both senses probably from freq. of maund "to beg" (1567), from Fr. mendier "to beg," from L. mendicare (see mendicant).

Maundy Thursday --- 1440, from M.E. maunde "the Last Supper," also "ceremony of washing the feet," from O.Fr. mandé, from L. mandatum "commandment," in reference to the opening words of the church service for this day, Mandatum novum do vobis "A new commandment I give unto you" (John xiii.34), words supposedly spoken by Jesus to the Apostles after washing their feet at the Last Supper.

Mauser --- 1880, Ger. army rifle, introduced 1871, invented by brothers Peter Paul (1838-1914) and Wilhelm (1834-82) Mauser.

mausoleum --- 1546, from L. mausoleum "magnificent tomb," from Gk. Mausoleion, massive marble tomb built 353 B.C.E. at Halicarnassus (Gk. city in Asia Minor) for Mausolos, Persian satrap who made himself king of Caria. It was built by his wife (and sister), Artemisia. It was counted among the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Destroyed by an earthquake in the Middle Ages. General sense of "any stately burial-place" is from 1600.

mauve --- 1859, from Fr. mauve, from O.Fr. mauve "mallow," from L. malva "mallow;" the dye so called from the color of the mallow plant.

maven --- 1965, from Yiddish meyvn, from Heb. mebhin, lit. "one who understands." Plural is mayvinim.

maverick --- 1867, "calf or yearling found without an owner's brand," in allusion to Samuel A. Maverick (1803-70), Texas cattle owner who was negligent in branding his calves. Sense of "individualist, unconventional person" is first recorded 1886, via notion of "masterless."

maw --- O.E. maga "stomach" (of men and animals), from P.Gmc. *magon (cf. O.Fris. maga, O.N. mag, Du. maag, Ger. Magen "stomach"), perhaps cognate with Welsh megin "bellows," Lith. makas, O.C.S. mosina "bag, pouch."

mawkish --- 1668, sickly, nauseated, from M.E. mawke "maggot" (see maggot). Sense of "sickly sentimental" is first recorded 1702.

maxilla --- jaw, jawbone, 1676, from L. maxilla "upper jaw," dim. of mala "jaw, cheekbone."

maxim --- precept, principle, 1426, from M.Fr. maxime, from L.L. maxima, usually in maxima propositio "axiom," lit. "greatest premise," fem. of maximus "greatest" (see maximum).

Maxim --- single-barreled, water-cooled machine gun, 1885, named for inventor, U.S.-born British engineer Sir Hiram S. Maxim (1840-1916).

Maximilian --- masc. proper name, from L. Maximus and Aemilianus, both proper names. According to Camden, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III (1415-93) coined the name and gave it to his son in hopes the boy would grow up to have the virtues of Fabius Maximus and Scipio Aemilianus.

maximum --- 1740, from L. maximum, neut. of maximus "greatest," superl. of magnus "great, large" (see magnum). Maximize was formed in Eng. 1802, first attested in Bentham, who used it often.

May --- 1110, from O.Fr. mai, from L. Majus, Maius mensis "month of May," possibly from Maja, Maia a Roman earth goddess (wife of Vulcan) whose name is possibly from PIE *mag-ya "she who is great," fem. suffixed form of base *meg- "great" (cognate with L. magnus). Replaced O.E. þrimilce, month in which cows can be milked three times a day. May marriage have been considered unlucky at least since Ovid's day. Mayflower (1626) was used locally for the cowslip, the lady's smock, and other plants that bloom in May. May apple attested from 1733.

may --- O.E. mæg "I am able" (inf. magan, pt. meahte, mihte), from P.Gmc. root *mag-, inf. *maganan (cf. O.Fris. muga, O.N. mega, Du. mogen, Ger. mögen, Goth. magan "to be able"), from PIE *mogh-/*megh- "power" (cf. Gk. mekhos, makhos "means, instrument," O.C.S. mogo "to be able," mosti "power, force," Skt. mahan "great"). Also related to might (q.v.). Mayhap is 1536, from phrase (it) may hap.