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

mesmerize --- 1829 from mesmerism, borrowed 1802 from Fr. mesmérisme, named for Franz Anton Mesmer (1734-1815), Austrian physician who developed a theory of animal magnetism and a mysterious body fluid which allows one person to hypnotize another. Transf. sense of "enthrall" is first attested 1862. Mesmerism is attested from 1802.

Mesopotamia --- ancient name for the land that lies between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers (in modern Iraq), from Gk. mesopotamia (khora), lit. "the country between two rivers," from fem. of mesopotamos, from mesos "middle" + potamos "river" (see petition). In 19c. the word was used in the sense of "anything which gives irrational or inexplicable comfort to the hearer," based on the story of the old woman who told her pastor that she "found great support in that comfortable word Mesopotamia" ["Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase & Fable," 1870]. The place was called Mespot (1917) by British soldiers serving there in World War I.

Mesozoic --- 1840, from Gk. mesos "middle" + zoe "life." Name coined by British geologist John Phillips for the fossil era "between" the Paleozoic and the Cenozoic.

mesquite --- type of N.Amer. shrub of the pea family, 1759, from Mex.Sp. mezquite, from Nahuatl (Aztec) mizquitl.

mess --- c.1300, "food for one meal, pottage," from O.Fr. mes "portion of food, course at dinner," from L.L. missus "course at dinner," lit. "placing, putting (on a table, etc.)," from mittere "to put, place," from L. mittere "to send, let go" (see mission). Sense of "mixed food" led to contemptuous use for "jumble, mixed mass" (1828), and figurative sense of "state of confusion" (1834), as well as "condition of untidiness" (1851). Meaning "communal eating place"(esp. a military one) is first attested 1536, from earlier sense of "company of persons eating together" (c.1420), originally a group of four. Messy "untidy" is attested from 1843. To mess with "interfere, get involved" is from 1903; mess up "make a mistake, get in trouble" is from 1933, both orig. Amer.Eng. colloquial.

message --- 1297, "communication transmitted via a messenger," from O.Fr. message, from M.L. missaticum, from L. missus, pp. of mittere "to send." The L. word is glossed in O.E. by ærende. Specific religious sense of "divinely inspired communication via a prophet" (1546) let to transf. sense of "the broad meaning (of something)," first attested 1828. To get the message "understand" is from 1964.

Messalina --- scheming and licentious woman, 1887, in ref. to Valeria Messalina, notorious third wife of Rom. emperor Claudius.

messenger --- c.1225, messager, from O.Fr. messagier, from message (see message). With parasitic -n- inserted by c.1300 for no apparent reason except that people liked to say it that way (cf. passenger, harbinger, scavenger).

Messerschmitt --- type of Ger. warplane, 1940, from name of Willy Messerschmitt (1898-1978), Ger. aircraft designer.

messiah --- c.1300, Messias, from L.L. Messias, from Gk. Messias, from Aramaic meshiha and Heb. mashiah "anointed" (of the Lord), from mashah "anoint." This is the word rendered in Septuagint as Gk. Khristos (see Christ). In O.T. prophetic writing, it was used of an expected deliverer of the Jewish nation. The modern Eng. form represents an attempt to make the word look more Heb., and dates from the Geneva Bible (1560). Transf. sense of "an expected liberator or savior of a captive people" is attested from 1666.

messuage --- legal term for "dwelling," c.1386, from Anglo-L. (1290), from Anglo-Fr. messuage, which probably is a clerical error for mesnage (see menage). Originally the portion of land set aside for a dwelling-house and outbuildings, whether occupied by them or not; later chiefly in ref. to the house and buildings and the attached land.

mestizo --- c.1588, from Sp. mestizo "of mixed European and Amerindian parentage," from L.L. mixticius "mixed, mongrel," from L. mixtus "mixed," pp. of miscere "to mix, mingle" (see mix). Fem. form mestiza is attested from c.1582.

Met --- 1896, slang for "member of the New York Metropolitan Base-Ball Club."

meta- --- prefix meaning 1. "after, behind," 2. "changed, altered," 3. "higher, beyond," from Gk. meta (prep.) "in the midst of, among, with, after," from PIE *me- "in the middle" (cf. Goth. miþ, O.E. mið "with, together with, among," see mid). Notion of "changing places with" probably led to senses "change of place, order, or nature," which was the principal meaning of the Gk. word when used as a prefix. Third sense, "higher, beyond," is due to misinterpretation of metaphysics (q.v.) as "transcending physical science."

metabolism --- in physiology sense, 1878, from Fr. métabolisme, from Gk. metabole "change," from metaballein "to change," from meta- "over" + ballein "to throw." Metabolic is first attested 1845 in this sense, from Ger. metabolisch (1839). The word is attested from 1743 with the lit. sense of "involving change."

metal --- 1297, from O.Fr. metal, from L. metallum "metal, mine, quarry, mineral, what is got by mining," from Gk. metallon "metal, ore," originally "mine, quarry, pit," probably from metalleuein "to mine, to quarry," of unknown origin, but related somehow to metallan "to seek after." Metallic is first recorded 1567, from Gk. metallikos.

metallurgy --- 1704, from Gk. metallourgos "worker in metal," from metallon "metal" (see metal) + ergon "work" (see urge (v.)).

metamorphosis --- 1533, "change of form or shape, especially by witchcraft," from L., from Gk. metamorphosis "a transforming," from metamorphoun "to transform," from meta- "change" (see meta-) + morphe "form" (see morphine). Metamorphic, in geological sense, is first attested 1833, in Lyell; rocks whose form has been changed by heat or pressure.

metaphor --- 1533, from M.Fr. metaphore, from L. metaphora, from Gk. metaphora "a transfer," especially of the sense of one word to a different word, lit. "a carrying over," from metapherein "transfer, carry over," from meta- "over, across" (see meta-) + pherein "to carry, bear" (see infer).

metaphysics --- 1387, "branch of speculation which deals with the first causes of things," from M.L. metaphysica, neut. pl. of Medieval Gk. (ta) metaphysika, from Gk. ta meta ta physika "the (works) after the Physics," title of the 13 treatises which traditionally were arranged after those on physics and natural sciences in Aristotle's writings. The name was given c.70 B.C.E. by Andronicus of Rhodes, and was a ref. to the customary ordering of the books, but it was misinterpreted by L. writers as meaning "the science of what is beyond the physical." Hence, metaphysical came to be used in the sense of "abstract, speculative" (e.g. by Johnson, who applied it to certain 17c. poets, notably Donne and Cowley, who used "witty conceits" and abstruse imagery). The word originally was used in Eng. in the singular; plural form predominated after 17c., but singular made a comeback late 19c. in certain usages under Ger. influence.

metastasis --- 1577, from Gk. metastasis "transference, removal, change," from methistanai "to remove, change," from meta- "over, across" (see meta-) + histanai "to place, cause to stand," from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). A rhetorical term in L.L. for "a sudden transition in subjects," medical use for "shift of disease from one part of the body to another" dates from 1663 in Eng. Metastasize formed 1907.

metathesis --- 1608, "rhetorical transposition of words," from L.L., from Gk. metathesis "change of position, transposition," from stem of metatithenai "to transpose," from meta- "to change" (see meta-) + tithenai "to place, set," from PIE base *dhe- "to put, to do" (see factitious). Of letters within a word, from 1660.

mete (n.) --- boundary, now only in phrase metes and bounds, 1471, from O.Fr. mete, from L. meta "goal, boundary."

mete (v.) --- O.E. metan "to measure" (class V strong verb; past tense mæt, pp. meten), from P.Gmc. *metanan (cf. O.Fris., O.N. meta, Du. meten, Ger. messen, Goth. mitan "to measure"), probably ultimately from the same PIE base as meter. Only used now with out.

metempsychosis --- 1590, from L.L., from Gk. metempsychosis, from meta "change" + en "in" + psyche "soul." Pythagorean word for trans-migration of souls at death.

meteor --- 1471, "any atmospheric phenomenon," from M.Fr. meteore (13c.), from M.L. meteorum (nom. meteora), from Gk. ta meteora "the celestial phenomena," pl. of meteoron, lit. "thing high up," neut. of meteoros (adj.) "high up," from meta- "over, beyond" (see meta-) + -aoros "lifted, hovering in air," related to aeirein "to raise" (see aorta). Specific sense of "fireball, shooting star" is attested from 1593. Atmospheric phenomena were formerly classified as aerial meteors (wind), aqueous meteors (rain, snow, hail), luminous meteors (aurora, rainbows), and igneous meteors (lightning, shooting stars). Meteoric in the figurative sense of "transiently brilliant" is from 1836.

meteorite --- rock that falls to earth, after streaking across the sky as a meteor, formed in Eng. 1824.

meteoroid --- rock floating in space, which becomes a meteor when it enters Earth's atmosphere, formed in Eng. 1865.

meteorology --- 1570 (implied in meteorological), "science of the atmosphere, weather forecasting," from Gk. meteorologia "treatise on celestial phenomena," from meteoron (see meteor) + -logia "treatment of."

meter (1) --- poetic measure, O.E. meter, from L. metrum, from Gk. metron "meter, measure," from PIE base *me- "measure" (see meter (2)). Possibly reborrowed c.1330 (after a 300-year gap in recorded use) from O.Fr. metre, with specific sense of "metrical scheme in verse," from L. metrum.

meter (2) --- unit of length, 1797, from Fr. mètre, from Gk. metron "measure," from PIE base *me- "measure" (cf. Gk. metra "lot, portion," Skt. mati "measures," matra "measure," Avestan, O.Pers. ma-, L. metri "to measure"). Developed by Fr. Academy of Sciences for system of weights and measures based on a decimal system originated 1670 by Fr. clergyman Gabriel Mouton. Originally intended to be one ten-millionth of the length of a quadrant of the meridian.

meter (3) --- device for measuring, abstracted 1832 from gas-meter, etc., from Fr. -mètre, used in combinations, from L. metrum "measure" or cognate Gk. metron "measure" (see meter (2)). Meter maid first recorded 1957.

methadone --- 1947, generic designation for 6-dimethylamino-4, 4-diphenyl-3-heptanone.

methamphetamine --- 1949, from meth(yl) + amphetamine (q.v.); so called because it was a methyl derivative of amphetamine.

methane --- 1868, coined from meth(yl) + chemical suffix -ane.

methanol --- methyl alcohol, 1894 (adopted in international scientific community in 1892), from meth(yl) + -ol, suffix denoting "alcohol."

methaqualone --- hypnotic sedative drug, 1961, from meth(o)- + connecting particle -a- + qu(in)a(zo)lone.

Methedrine --- 1939, proprietary name of a brand of methamphetamine (by Wellcome Ltd.); slang abbreviation meth is attested from 1967.

methinks --- O.E. me þyncð "it seems to me," from me, dat. of I, + þyncð, third pers. sing. of þyncan "to seem," reflecting the O.E. distinction between þyncan "to seem" and related þencan "to think," which bedevils modern students of the language (see think). The two words were constantly confused, then finally merged, in M.E.

method --- 1541, from M.Fr. methode, from L. methodus "way of teaching or going," from Gk. methodus "scientific inquiry, method of inquiry," originally "pursuit, following after," from meta- "after" (see meta-) + hodos "a traveling, way" (see cede). In ref. to a theory of acting associated with Rus. director Konstantin Stanislavsky, it is attested from 1923. Methodology is attested from 1800.

methodical --- 1570, from methodic (1541), from M.Fr. methodique, from L.L. methodicus, from Gk. methodikos, from methodos (see method).

Methodist --- One of a new kind of puritans lately arisen, so called from their profession to live by rules and in constant method [Johnson]. Protestant religious sect founded 1729 at Oxford University by John and Charles Wesley, took that name almost from inception, but it had been used since at least 1686 for various new methods of worship.

Methusela --- son of Enoch in O.T., he was said to have lived 969 years, the oldest lifespan recorded in O.T. Used from c.1380 as the type of a very long life or long-lived person. The name is Heb. Methushelah, which appears to be "man of the dart," from sing. of methim "man" + shelah "dart."

methyl --- univalent hydrocarbon radical, 1844, from Ger. methyl (1840) or Fr. méthyle, back-formation from Fr. méthylène, coined in Fr. 1835 from Gk. methy "wine" + hyle "wood." The word was introduced by Swed. chemist Jöns Jakob Berzelius (1779-1848).

metic --- resident alien in an ancient Gk. state, 1808, from L.L. metycus, from Gk. metoikos, lit. "one who has changed his residence," from meta- "change" (see meta-) + -oikos "dwelling," from oikein "to dwell" (see villa).

meticulous --- 1535, from L. meticulosus "fearful, timid," lit. "full of fear," from metus "fear," of unknown origin. Sense of "fussy about details" is first recorded in Eng. 1827, from Fr. méticuleux.

metier --- 1792, from Fr. métier "trade, profession," from O.Fr. mestier, from Gallo-Romance *misterium, from L. ministerium "office, service," from minister "servant" (see minister).

Metis --- first wife of Zeus, from Gk. Metis, lit. "wisdom, skill, craft," from PIE base *me- "to measure."

metonymy --- 1562, from Gk. metonymia, lit. "a change of name," from meta- "change" (see meta-) + onyma, dial. of onoma "name" (see name). Figure in which the name of one thing is used in place of another that is suggested by or associated with it (e.g. "the Kremlin" for "the Russian government").

metric --- pertaining to the system of measures based on the meter, 1864, from Fr. métrique, from mèter (see meter (2)).

metrical --- pertaining to versification, 1432, from L. metricus "metrical," from Gk. metrikos, from metron "poetic meter."

Metro --- Paris underground, 1904, from Fr. abbrev. of Chemin de Fer Métropolitain "Metropolitan Railway."

Metroliner --- U.S. high-speed inter-city train, 1969, from metro(politan) + liner.

metronome --- 1816, coined in Eng. from comb. form of Gk. metron "measure" (see meter (2)) + -nomos "regulating," verbal adj. of nemein "to regulate" (see numismatics). The device invented 1815 by John Maelzel.

metropolis --- seat of a metropolitan bishop, 1535, see metropolitan. Meaning "chief town or capital city of a province" is first attested 1590.

metropolitan --- 1432, as a noun, "bishop having oversight of other bishops," from L.L. metropolitanus, from Gk. metropolis "mother city" (from which others have been colonized), from meter "mother" + polis "city" (see policy (1)). In Gk., "parent state of a colony;" later, "see of a metropolitan bishop." In the West, the position now roughly corresponds to archbishop, but in the Gk. church it ranks above it. In Eng., the adj. sense of "belonging to an ecclesiastical metropolis" is from 1548; that of "belonging to a chief or capital city" is from 1555. In ref. to underground city railways, it is attested from 1867.

mettle --- 1581, variant spelling of metal, both of which were used interchangeably (by Shakespeare and others) in the literal sense and in the figurative sense of "stuff of which a person is made" until the spellings and senses diverged early 18c.

mew (n.1) --- seagull, O.E. mæw, from P.Gmc. *maigwis (cf. O.S. mew, Fris. meau, M.L.G. mewe, Du. meeuw "gull"), of imitative origin. O.Fr. moue (Fr. mouette) and Lith. mevas are Gmc. loan-words.

mew (n.2) --- cage, c.1300, from O.Fr. mue "cage for hawks, especially when molting," from muer "to molt," from L. mutare "to change" (see mutable).

mew (v.) --- make a sound like a cat, c.1325, mewen, of imitative origin (cf. Ger. miauen, FR. miauler, It. miagolare, Sp. maullar, and see meow). Variant mewl is attested from 1600.

mews --- stables grouped around an open yard, 1631, from Mewes, name of the royal stables at Charing Cross, built 1534 on the site of the former royal mews (attested from c.1394), where the king's hawks were kept (see mew (n.2)). Extended by 1805 to "street of former stables converted to human habitations."

Mexico --- from Sp., from Nahuatl (Aztecan) mexihco, the name of the ancient Aztec capital.

mezuzah --- 1650, from Heb., lit. "doorpost."

mezzanine --- 1711, "a low story between two tall ones in a building," from Fr., from It. mezzanino, from mezzano "middle," from L. medianus "of the middle," from medius (see medial). Sense of "lowest balcony in a theater" first recorded 1927.

mezzo --- half, moderate, from It., lit. "middle," from L. medius (see medial). Also used in combinations such as mezzo-soprano (1753) and mezzotint (1738).

miasma --- 1665, from Gk. miasma (gen. miasmatos) "stain, pollution," related to miainein "to pollute," from PIE base *mei-/*mai- "to stain, defile" (cf. O.E. mal "stain, mark," see mole (1)).

mic --- shortened form of microphone, first attested 1961.

mica --- 1706, from L. mica "crumb, grain," originally *smika (form probably infl. by L. micare "to flash, glitter"), from PIE *sme(i)k- "ground grain, pulverized" (cf. Gk. smikros, Attic mikros "small;" O.H.G. smahi "littleness").

Michaelmas --- masc. proper name, name of an archangel, from L.L., from Gk. Mikhael, from Heb. Mikha-el, lit. "Who is like God?" Michaelmas is first attested 1123 (Sanct Micheles mæsse), the feast of St. Michael (Sept. 29, an English quarter-day), from Goose is the day's traditional fare since at least 15c.

Michelin --- type of tires, 1902, in ref. to Fr. motor vehicle manufacturers André (1853-1931) and Édouard (1859-1940) Michelin, who first made the tires.

Michigan --- name originally applied to the lake, perhaps from Old Ojibwa (Algonquian) *meshi-gami "big lake."

mick --- derogatory slang for "Irishman," 1856, from nickname of common Irish name Michael (q.v.).

Mickey Finn --- strong drink, drink laced with chloral hydrate, 1890s, of unknown origin. Presumably named after someone, but the various stories about the name cannot be substantiated.

Mickey Mouse --- cartoon mouse character created 1928 by Walt Disney (1901-66). As an adj. meaning "small and worthless" it dates from 1936, originally used especially of mediocre dance-band music, a put-down based on the type of tunes played as background in cartoon films.

mickle --- dial. survival of O.E. micel, mycel "great, big, many," from P.Gmc. *mekilaz (cf. O.S. mikil, O.N. mikill, O.H.G. mihhil, Goth. mikils), from PIE base *meg(h)- "great, large" (cf. Arm. mets "great;" Skt. mahat- "great, mazah- "greatness;" Avestan mazant- "great;" Hitt. mekkish "great, large;" Gk. megas "great, large;" L. magnus "great, large, much, abundant," major "greater;" M.Ir. mag, maignech "great, large;" M.Welsh meith "long, great"). Its main modern form is much (q.v.).

Micmac --- Algonquian tribe of the Canadian Maritimes and Newfoundland, from mi:kemaw, a native name said to mean lit. "allies."

micro- --- comb. form of Gk. mikros "small" (see mica).

microbe --- popular name for a bacterium, 1881, from Fr. microbe, "badly coined (1878) by Sédillot" [Weekley] from Gk. mikros "small" + bios "life" (see bio-). Incorrect use of bios; in Gk. the word would mean lit. "short-lived."

microbiology --- 1885 (implied in microbiologist), coined in Eng. from micro- + biology.

microchip --- integrated circuit, 1975, from micro- + chip.

microcosm --- 1426, "human nature, man viewed as the epitome of creation," lit. "miniature world," from M.Fr. microcosme, from M.L. microcosmus, from Gk. mikros "small" + kosmos "world" (see cosmos). General sense of "a community constituting a world unto itself" is attested from 1526.

microfiche --- 1950, from micro- + Fr. fiche "slip of paper."

microfilm (n.) --- 1927, coined from micro- + film. The verb is first recorded 1940, from the noun.

micrometer --- 1670, from micro- + Gk. metron "measure" (see meter (2)).

micron --- one millionth of a meter, 1892, coined 1880 in Fr. from Gk. mikron, neut. of mikros "small."

Micronesia --- lit. "the region of small islands," Mod.L., formed on model of Polynesia from micro- "small" + Gk. nesos "island."

microorganism --- 1880, coined in Eng. from micro- + organism.

microphone --- coined from Gk. mikros "small" + phone "sound" (see fame). Modern meaning dates from 1929, from use in radio broadcasting and movie recording. Earlier, "telephone transmitter" (1878) and "ear trumpet for the hard-of-hearing" (1683). Of the two spellings of the short form of the word, mike (1927) is older than mic (1961).

microscope --- 1656, from Mod.L. microscopium, lit. "an instrument for viewing what is small," from Gk. micro- (q.v.) + -skopion. "means of viewing," from skopein "look at." Microscopic "of minute size" is attested from 1760s.

microwave --- type of electromagnetic wave, 1931, coined in Eng. from micro- + wave. First record of microwave oven is from 1965; microwave as short for this is attested from 1974; as a verb, from 1976.

micturition --- 1725, "the need very badly to urinate," from L. micturitum, from pp. of micturire "to desire to urinate," desiderative of mingere "to urinate," related to meiere (see mash (n.)). As during the final 20 minutes of a 4-hour film after drinking a 32-ounce Mountain Dew from the snack bar and the movie ends with a drawn-out farewell scene while Frodo is standing on the pier and wavelets lap audibly on the dock as if the director was a sadist set on compounding your torment.

mid --- O.E. mid, from P.Gmc. *medjaz (cf. O.N. miðr, O.S. middi, O.Fris. midde, O.H.G. mitti, Goth. midjis), from PIE *medhyo- (cf. Skt. madhyah, Gk. mesos, L. medius "middle;" see medial). Now surviving only as a prefix (midair, midstream, etc.); use as a preposition is often aphetic use of amid (cf. midshipman).

Mid East --- Middle East, attested from 1944. Loosely defined. Middle East is attested from 1902; hence Middle-Eastern (1903).

mid-air --- 1667, lit. the part of the air between the clouds and the air near the ground.

Midas --- 1568, king of Phrygia whose touched turned everything to gold (including his food). Some usages refer to the unrelated story of the ass's ears given him by Apollo for being dull to the charms of his lyre. The name is of Phrygian origin.

midday --- O.E. middæg, from midne dæg (cf. O.H.G. mittitag, Ger. mittag, O.N. miðdagr).

midden --- dung hill, c.1340, of Scand. origin, cf. Dan. mødding, from møg "muck" + dynge "heap, dung." Modern archaeological sense of "kitchen midden" is from Danish excavations.

middle --- O.E. middel, from W.Gmc. *middila (cf. M.L.G., Du. middel), from P.Gmc. *medjaz (see mid). Middle age "period between youth and old age" is attested from 1377; middle aged first recorded 1608. Middle Ages "period between ancient and modern times" (formerly roughly 500-1500 C.E., now more usually 1000-1500) is from 1616, translating L. medium ævum (cf. Ger. mittelalter, Fr. moyen âge). First record of middle class is from 1766; as an adj., "characteristic of the middle class" (depreciative) it dates from 1893. Middle name first attested 1835, Amer.Eng. Middlebrow first recorded 1925. Middleman in the trading sense is from 1795; middle management is 1957. Middle-of-the-road in the fig. sense is attested from 1894; in old times, edges of the dirt road could be washed out and thus less safe.

Middletown --- typical U.S. middle class community, 1929.

middling (adj.) --- 1456, from Scottish mydlyn, from M.E. middle + suffix -ing. Used to designate the second of three grades of goods.

middy --- loose, long type of women's blouse, 1911, from resemblance to shirts worn by midshipmen, from colloquial abbreviation of midshipman.