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

Midgard --- world inhabited by men, in Gmc. cosmology (opposed to Asgard, the abode of the gods), 1882, from O.N. miðgarðr, from mið mid" (see mid) + P.Gmc. *gardoz "enclosure, tract" (see yard (1)). The O.E. cognate was middangeard, which was later folk-etymologized as middle earth.

midge --- O.E. mygg, mycg "gnat," from P.Gmc. *mugjon (cf. O.S. muggia, M.Du. mugghe, Du. mug, O.H.G. mucka, Ger. Mücke "midge, gnat"). No known cognates beyond Gmc., unless doubtful Arm. mun "gnat" and Alb. mize "gnat" are counted.

midget --- 1865, "little sand fly," from midge + dim. suffix -et. Originally "little sand fly." Sense of "very small person" is from 1869.

MIDI --- 1983, acronym for Musical Instrument Digital Interface.

Midi --- southern France, 1883, from Fr. midi "south," lit. "midday," from mi "middle" (from L. medius) + di "day" (from L. dies).

midland --- early 15c., mydlonde, first used of the Midlands of England.

midnight --- O.E. mid-niht, or middre niht (with dative). Midnight oil symbolizing "late night work" is attested from 1635.

midriff --- O.E. midhrif, from mid "mid" + hrif "belly," from P.Gmc. *hrefiz- (cf. O.H.G. href, O.Fris. hrif "belly"), from PIE *kwrep- "body, form, appearance" (see corporeal). More or less obsolete after 18c. except in phrase to tickle (one's) midriff "to cause laughter," the word revived 1941 in fashion usage for "portion of a woman's garment that covers the belly, as a euphemistic avoidance of belly, extended 1970 to a belly-baring style of women's top.

midshipman --- 1601, so called because he was stationed amidships when on duty.

midst --- c.1400, from M.E. middes (1340), from O.E. mid + adv. gen. -s. The parasitic -t is perhaps on model of superlatives.

midsummer --- O.E. midsumor, from mid "mid" + sumor "summer." Midsummer Day, as an English quarter-day, was June 24. Astronomically June 21, but traditionally reckoned in Europe on the night of June 23-24.

midway --- O.E. mid-weg "the middle of a way or distance." Meaning "central avenue of a fairground" is first recorded 1893, Amer.Eng., in ref. to the Midway Plaisance of the Worlds Columbian Exposition, held in Chicago.

Midwest --- 1926, in U.S. geographical sense, from earlier Midwestern (1889) in ref. to a group of states originally listed as W.Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Missouri, Kansas, and Arkansas.

midwife --- 1303, "woman assisting," lit. "woman who is 'with' " (the mother at birth), from M.E. mid "with" (see meta-) + wif "woman" (see wife). Cognate with Ger. Beifrau. Midwifery is attested from 1483.

midwinter --- O.E. midwinter, also midde winter, the middle of winter, especially the period around the winter solstice (Dec. 21).

mien --- facial expression, 1513, shortening of M.E. demean "bearing, demeanor" (see demeanor); infl. by M.Fr. mine "appearance, facial expression," possibly of Celtic origin (cf. Bret. min "beak, muzzle, nose," Ir. men "mouth").

miff (n.) --- 1623, "fit of ill humor," perhaps imitative of an exclamation of disgust (cf. Ger. muffen "to sulk"). The verb is from 1797. Miffy (adj.) "liable to 'take a miff' " is from 1810; miffed is 1824 (Sir Walter Scott calls it "a women's phrase").

MiG --- in name of various Russian fighter planes, so called in honor of aircraft designers M(ikoyan) and (Rus. i) G(urevitch).

might (n.) --- O.E. miht, earlier mæht, from P.Gmc. *makhtuz (cf. O.N. mattr, O.Fris., M.Du. macht, Ger. Macht, Goth. mahts), from PIE base *mag- "be able, have power" (see may (v.)). Mighty (adj.) is from O.E. mihtig, earlier mæhtig, from miht. As an adverb, it is attested from c.1300, though now considered colloquial.

might (v.) --- O.E. mihte, meahte, originally the past tense of may (O.E. magen "to be able"), thus "*may-ed." See may (v.). The first record of might-have-been is from 1848.

mignon --- delicately formed, 1556, from Fr., lit. "delicate, charming, pretty," see minion.

migraine --- 1373, megrim, from O.Fr. migraigne (13c.), from vulgar pronunciation of L.L. hemicrania "pain in one side of the head, headache," from Gk. hemikrania, from hemi- "half" + kranion "skull" (see cranium). The M.E. form was re-spelled 1777 on Fr. model.

migrant (adj.) --- 1672, from L. migrantem (nom. migrans), prp. of migrare "to move from one place to another" (see migration). The noun meaning "person who migrates" is first recorded 1670.

migration --- 1611, of persons, 1646 of animals, from L. migrationem (nom. migratio), from pp. stem of migrare "to move from one place to another," probably originally *migwros, from PIE *meigw- (cf. Gk. ameibein "to change"), from base *mei- "to change, go, move" (see mutable). Migrate is first attested 1697. That European birds migrate across the seas or to Asia was understood in the Middle Ages, but subsequently forgotten. Dr. Johnson held that swallows slept all winter in the beds of rivers, while the naturalist Morton (1703) stated that they migrated to the moon.

mikado --- 1727, former title of the emperor of Japan, from mi "honorable" + kado "gate, portal." Similar to Sublime Porte, old title of the Ottoman emperor/government, and Pharaoh, which literally means "great house."

mil --- 1721, in per mil "per thousand," from L. mille "thousand" (cf. percent). As a unit of length for diameter of wire, it is attested from 1891; as a unit of angular measure it is first recorded 1907.

milch (adj.) --- giving milk, from O.E. -milce "milking," from W.Gmc. *melik- "milk" (see milk).

mild --- O.E. milde "gentle, merciful," from P.Gmc. *milthjaz- (cf. O.N. mildr, O.Fris. milde, Du. mild, O.H.G. milti, Ger. milde "mild," Goth. mildiþa "kindness"), from PIE base *meld-/*mld- "softness" (cf. Gk. malthon "weakling," O.Ir. meldach "tender," Skt. mrdh "to neglect," also "to be moist"). Related to melt. Originally of persons and powers; of the weather from c.1400, of disease from 1744. Phrase to put it mildly is attested from 1929.

mildew --- M.E. mildeu "honeydew, nectar," from O.E. mildeaw "honeydew" (sticky stuff exuded by aphids), from P.Gmc. compound of *melith "honey" + *dawwaz "dew" (cf. O.S. milidou, Du. meeldauw, Ger. Meltau "mildew"). First element in many cases assimilated to forms of meal "ground grain." Meaning "kind of fungus" is first recorded 1340, so called from its being sticky and originally growing in plants.

Mildred --- fem. proper name, O.E. Mildðryð, from milde "mild" + ðryð "power, strength." A popular name in the Middle Ages through fame of St. Mildred (obit c. 700), abbess, daughter of a Mercian king and a Kentish princess.

mile --- O.E. mil, from W.Gmc. *milja, from L. mila "thousands," pl. of mille "a thousand" (neuter plural was mistaken in Gmc. as fem. sing.). Ancient Roman mile was 1,000 double paces (one step with each foot), for about 4,860 feet, but there were many local variants and a modern statute mile is about 400 feet longer. In Germany, Holland, and Scandinavia in the Middle Ages, the L. word was applied arbitrarily to the ancient Gmc. rasta, a measure of from 3.25 to 6 English miles. Mile-a-minute (adj.) is attested from 1957; milestone is from 1746.

Milicent --- fem. proper name, earlier Malasintha, from aphetic form of O.H.G. Amalswind, lit. "strong in work," from amal "work" + *swind "strong" (cf. O.E. swið "strong," gesund "healthy").

milieu --- surroundings, 1877, from Fr., "middle, medium, mean," lit. "middle place," from mi "middle" + lieu "place" (see lieu).

militant (adj.) --- 1413, from M.Fr. militant "fighting," from L. militantem (nom. militans), prp. of militare "serve as a soldier" (see militate), originally especially in Church militant. The noun, in the sense of "one engaged in war or strife," is first attested 1610, from the adj.; in political sense, it is first attested 1907.

military --- 1460, from M.Fr. militaire, from L. militaris "of soldiers or war," from miles (gen. militis) "soldier," perhaps ult. from Etruscan, or else meaning "one who marches in a troop," and thus connected to Skt. melah "assembly," Gk. homilos "assembled crowd, throng." The noun sense of "soldiers generally" is attested from 1757. Military-industrial complex coined 1961 in farewell speech of U.S. president Dwight D. Eisenhower. Militarism is first recorded 1864, from Fr. militarisme.

militate --- 1625, "to serve as a soldier," from L. militatum, pp. of militare "serve as a soldier," from miles "soldier" (see military). Sense developed via "conflict with," to "be evidence" (for or against), 1642.

militia --- 1590, "system of military discipline," from L. militia "military service, warfare," from miles "soldier" (see military). Sense of "citizen army" (as distinct from professional soldiers) is first recorded 1696, perhaps from Fr. milice. In U.S. history, "the whole body of men declared by law amenable to military service, without enlistment, whether armed and drilled or not" (1777).

milk (n.) --- O.E. meoluc (W.Saxon), milc (Anglian), both related to melcan "to milk." The noun is from P.Gmc. *meluk- (cf. O.N. mjolk, Du. melk, Ger. Milch, Goth. miluks); the verb is from P.Gmc. *melkanan (cf. O.N. mjolka, Du., Ger. melken); both from PIE base *melg- "wiping, stroking," in ref. to the hand motion in milking an animal (cf. Gk. amelgein, L. mulgere, O.C.S. mlesti, Lith. melzu "to milk," O.Ir. melg "milk," Skt. marjati "wipes off"). O.C.S. noun meleko (Rus. moloko, Czech mleko) is considered to be adopted from Germanic. Figurative verbal sense of "exploit for profit" is first found 1526. Milkmaid first attested 1552; milkman "one who sells milk" is recorded from 1589. Milk chocolate is first recorded 1723; milk shake is first recorded 1889, for a variety of creations, but the modern version is only from the 1930s. Milk tooth is attested from 1727. To cry over spilt milk is first attested 1836 in writing of Canadian humorist Thomas C. Haliburton. Milk and honey is from the O.T. phrase describing the richness of the Promised Land.

milk of magnesia --- 1880, proprietary name for white suspension of magnesium hydroxide in water, taken as an antacid, invented by U.S. chemist Charles Henry Phillips. Herbal or culinary preparations resembling milk had been similarly named (e.g. milk of almond) since c.1430.

milksop --- effeminate spiritless man, attested as a surname c.1246, also applied in M.E. to the infant Christ.

milkweed --- 1598, from milk (n.) + weed; used in ref. to various plants whose juice resembles milk.

milky way --- c.1384, loan-translation of L. via lactea. See also galaxy.

mill (n.1) --- building fitted to grind grain, O.E. mylen "mill," an early Gmc. borrowing from L.L. molina, molinum "mill" (cf. Fr. moulin, Sp. molino), originally fem. and neut. of molinus "pertaining to a mill," from L. mola "mill, millstone," related to molere "to grind," from PIE *mel-/*mol-/*ml- "grind" (cf. Gk. myle "mill"). Also from L.L. molina, directly or indirectly, are Ger. Mühle, Dan. mølle, O.C.S. mulinu. Broader sense of "grinding machine" is attested from 1560. Other types of manufacturing machines driven by wind or water, whether for grinding or not, began to be called mills by 1417. Sense of "building fitted with industrial machinery" is from 1502. The verb meaning "to grind" is attested from 1552.

mill (n.2) --- one-tenth cent, 1791, introduced as a U.S. currency unit but now only used for tax calculation purposes, shortening of L. millesimum "one-thousandth," from mille "a thousand" (see mile). Formed on the analogy of cent, which is short for L. centesimus "one hundredth" (of a dollar).

mill (v.) --- "to keep moving round and round in a mass, 1874 (implied in milling), originally of cattle, from mill (n.1) on resemblance to the action of a mill wheel.

millennium

1638, from L. mille thousand"" + annus ""year"" (see annual); formed on analogy of biennium, triennium, etc. First in Eng. in sense of ""1,000-year period of Christ's anticipated rule on Earth"" (Rev. xx.1-5); hence millenarian (1552) ""one who believes in the coming of the millennium."" Sense of ""any 1,000-year period"" first recorded 1711."

miller --- 1362 (attested as a surname from 1327), from mill (n.1). The O.E. word was mylnweard, lit. "mill-keeper" (Millward attested as a surname from 1279).

millet --- cereal grain, c.1400, from M.Fr. millet, dim. of mil "millet," from L. milium "millet," cognate with Gk. meline, Lith. malnus (pl.) "millet."

milliard --- one thousand million, 1793, from Fr. milliard, from million with change of suffix.

milliner --- 1449, "vendor of fancy wares, especially those made in Milan," Italian city, famous for straw works, fancy goods, ribbons, bonnets, and cutlery. Meaning of "one who sells women's hats" may be from 1530, certainly in use by 18c. (it is difficult in early references to know whether the word means a type of merchant or "a resident of Milan" who is selling certain wares).

million --- 1362, from O.Fr. million (c.1270), from It. millione (now milione), lit. "a great thousand," augmentative of mille "thousand," from L. mille. Used mainly by mathematicians until 16c. India, with its love of large numbers, had names before 3c. for numbers well beyond a billion. The ancient Greeks had no name for a number greater than ten thousand, the Romans for none higher than a hundred thousand. "A million" in L. would have been decies centena milia, lit. "ten hundred thousand." Millionaire first attested 1826, borrowed from Fr. millionnaire (1762). The first in America is said to have been John Jacob Astor (1763-1848). Million to one as a type of "long odds" is attested from 1761.

millipede --- 1601, from L. millepeda "wood louse," a type of crawling insect, from mille "thousand" + pes (gen. pedis) "foot" (see foot). Probably a loan-translation of Gk. chiliopous.

millisecond --- one thousandth of a second, 1922, from L. mille "a thousand" (see mile) + second (n.).

millstone --- O.E. mylenstan, from mill (n.1) + stone (q.v.). Fig. sense of "a burden" is from Matt. xviii.6.

milquetoast --- 1938, from Caspar Milquetoast, cartoon character created by H.T. Webster in 1924 as "The Timid Soul." Probably a variation of milksop (see milk).

mime --- a buffoon who practices gesticulations [Johnson], 1603, from Fr. mime, from L. mimus, from Gk. mimos "imitator, actor, buffoon," of unknown origin. The verb meaning "to act without words" is from 1616; the transf. sense of "to imitate" is from 1733 (Gk. mimeisthai meant "to imitate").

mimeograph --- copying machine, 1889 (invented by Edison), from Gk. mimeomai "I imitate," from mimos "mime" + -graphos, from graphein "to write." A proprietary name from 1903 to 1948. The verb meaning "to reproduce by means of a mimeograph" is first attested 1895.

mimetic --- 1637, "having an aptitude for mimicry," from Gk. mimetikos "imitative," from mimetos, verbal adj. of mimeisthai "to imitate." Originally of persons, attested of animals or plants from 1851.

mimic --- 1590 (n.), 1598 (adj.), 1687 (v.), from L. mimicus, from Gk. mimikos "of or pertaining to mimes," from mimos "mime."

mimosa --- genus of leguminous shrubs, 1731, coined in Mod.L. (1619) from L. mimus "mime" + -osa, adj. suffix (fem. of -osus); so called because some species (including the common Sensitive Plant) fold leaves when touched, seeming to mimic animal behavior. The alcoholic drink is so called from its yellowish color, which resembles that of the mimosa.

minaret --- 1682, from Fr. minaret, from Turk. minare, from Arabic manarah, manarat "lamp, lighthouse, minaret," related to manar "candlestick," derivative of nar "fire."

mince --- 1381, from O.Fr. mincier "make into small pieces," from V.L. *minutiare "make small," from L.L. minutiæ "small bits," from L. minutus "small" (see minute). Mincemeat is first attested 1663 (originally in the fig. sense of what someone plans to make of his enemy), an alteration of earlier minced meat (1578). Mince-pie is attested from c.1600; as rhyming slang for "eye" it is attested from 1857. Mincing "affectedly dainty" is first attested 1530, probably originally in ref. to speech, when words were "clipped" to affect elegance, or to walking with short steps.

mind (n.) --- O.E. gemynd "memory, thinking, intention," P.Gmc. *ga-menthijan (cf. Goth. muns "thought," munan "to think;" O.N. minni "mind;" Ger. minne, originally "memory, loving memory"), from PIE base *men- "think, remember, have one's mind aroused" (cf. Skt. matih "thought," munih "sage, seer;" Gk. memona "I yearn," mania "madness," mantis "one who divines, prophet, seer;" L. mens "mind, understanding, reason," memini "I remember," mentio "remembrance;" Lith. mintis "thought, idea," O.C.S. mineti "to believe, think," Rus. pamjat "memory"). "Memory" is one of the oldest senses, now almost obsolete except in old expressions such as bear in mind, call to mind. Phrase time out of mind is attested from 1414. To pay no mind "disregard" is recorded from 1916, Amer.Eng. dialect. To have half a mind to "to have one's mind half made up to (do something)" is recorded from 1726. Mind-reading is from 1882. Mind-boggling is from 1964.

mind (v.) --- 1340, "to remember," also "to remind," from the noun; sense of "object to, dislike" is from 1608. Meaning "to take care of, look after" is from 1694.

mindset --- habits of mind formed by previous experience, 1934, from mind (n.) + set (v.).

mine (n.) --- c.1303, from O.Fr. mine, probably from a Celtic source (cf. Welsh mwyn, Ir. mein "ore, mine"), from O.Celt. *meini-. Italy and Greece were relatively poor in minerals, thus they did not contribute a word for this to Eng., but there was extensive mining from an early date in Celtic lands (Cornwall, etc.). The verb meaning "to dig in a mine" is from c.1300.

mine (pron.) --- O.E. min "mine, my," (pronoun and adj.), from P.Gmc. *minaz (cf. Goth. meins, O.N. minn, Du. mijn, Ger. mein "my, mine"), from the base of me. Superseded as adj. beginning 13c. by my.

mine (v.) --- lay explosives, 1630, in ref. to old tactic of tunneling under enemy fortifications to blow them up; from mine (n.). The sense of "to dig under foundations to undermine them" is from c.1380, and miner in this sense is attested from c.1275.

mineral --- 1390, "substance obtained by mining," from M.L. minerale "something mined," from neut. of mineralis "pertaining to mines," from minera "mine." Meaning "material substance that is neither animal nor vegetable" is first recorded 1602. Modern scientific sense is from 1813. Mineral water is from 1562, originally water found in nature with some mineral substance dissolved in it.

Minerva --- ancient Roman goddess of wisdom (later identified with Gk. Athene), 1375, mynerfe, from L. Minerva, from O.L. Menerva, from *menes-wa, from PIE base *men- "mind, understanding, reason" (see mind (n.)). Cf. Skt. Manasvini, name of the mother of the Moon, manasvin "full of mind or sense."

minestrone --- It. vegetable soup, 1891, from It., with aug. suffix -one + minestra "soup," lit. "that which is served," from L. ministrare (see minister).

Ming --- 1676, dynasty which ruled China from 1368-1644, from Chinese, lit. "bright, clear." In ref. to the porcelain of the Ming period, attested from 1892.

minge --- female pudendum, 1903, of unknown origin.

mingle (v.) --- c.1450, freq. of M.E. myngen "to mix," from O.E. mengan (related to among), from P.Gmc. *mangijanan (cf. O.S. mengian, O.N. menga, O.Fris. mendza, Ger. mengen), from PIE *menq- "to knead, mix" (see mix). The formation may have been suggested by cognate M.Du. mengelen.

mini --- 1961, abbreviation of mini-car, a small car made by British Leyland (formerly British Motor Corp.). As an abbreviation of mini-skirt, it is attested from 1966. The vogue for mini- as a prefix dates from the 1960s.

minie ball --- kind of rifle bullet, 1853, named for its inventor, Fr. army officer Claude-Étienne Minié (1814-79), who designed it 1847-8.

minimum --- 1663 (n.) "smallest portion into which matter is divisible," from L. minimum "smallest" (thing), neut. of minimus "smallest," superl. of minor "smaller" (see minor). The adj. is first attested 1810. Minimal "smallest, least" is from 1666. Minimalist first recorded 1907, originally an Anglicization of Menshevik (q.v.); in sense of "practitioner of minimal art" it is first recorded 1967; the term minimal art is from 1965. Minimize first recorded 1802 in Bentham.

minion --- 1501, "a favorite; a darling; a low dependant; one who pleases rather than benefits" [Johnson], from M.Fr. mignon "a favorite, darling" (n.), also "dainty, pleasing, favorite" (adj.), from O.Fr. mignot, perhaps of Celt. origin (cf. O.Ir. min "tender, soft"), or from O.H.G. minnja, minna "love, memory." Used without disparaging overtones 16c.-17c.

mini-series --- "television series of short duration, on a single theme, 1972.

miniature

1586 (n.) a reduced image,"" from It. miniatura ""manuscript illumination or small picture,"" from pp. of miniare ""to illuminate a manuscript,"" from L. miniare ""to paint red,"" from minium ""red lead,"" used in ancient times to make red ink. Extended sense of ""small"" (adj.) is first attested 1714, because pictures in medieval manuscripts were small, infl. by L. min-, root expressing smallness (minor, minimus, minutus, etc.)."

miniskirt --- 1965, reputedly the invention of Fr. fashion designer André Courrèges.

minister --- 1297, "one who acts upon the authority of another," from O.Fr. ministre "servant," from L. minister (gen. ministri) "servant, priest's assistant" (in M.L. "priest"), from minus, minor "less," hence "subordinate," + comp. suffix *-teros. Meaning "priest" is attested in Eng. from c.1315. Political sense of "high officer of the state" is attested from 1625, from notion of "service to the crown." The verb is from c.1300, originally "to serve (food or drink)."

ministration --- c.1340, "the action of ministering or serving," from L. ministrationem (nom. ministratio), from ministrare "to serve" (see minister).

ministry --- 1382, "function of a priest," from L. ministerium "office, service," from minister (see minister). Began to be used 1916 as name of certain departments in British government.

mink --- 1431, "skin or fur of the mink," from a Scand. source. (cf. Swed. menk "a stinking animal in Finland"). Applied in Eng. to the animal itself from 1624.

minnesinger --- 1825, from Ger., from minne "love," esp. "sexual love," from O.H.G. minna "loving memory," originally "memory" (see mind (n.)) + singer (see singer). Medieval Ger. poets who imitated the troubadours. Ger. minne by 1500 was no longer considered decent, and it became a taboo word until revived 18c. in poetic language.

Minnesota --- originally the name of the river, from Dakota (Siouan) mnisota, lit. "cloudy water, milky water," from mni "river, stream" + sota "slightly clouded."

minnow --- c.1420, probably related to O.E. myne, earlier *mynwe, a name for some kind of fish, from P.Gmc. *muniwon (cf. M.L.G. möne, Du. meun, O.H.G. mun(i)wa, Ger. Münne), of unknown origin. Perhaps infl. in M.E. by Fr. menu "small."

Minoan --- 1894, from Minos, famous king of Crete; applied by British archaeologist Sir Arthur Evans to the civilization that flourished there c.3000-1400 B.C.E.

minor --- 1212, from L. minor "lesser, smaller, junior," formed as a masc./fem. of minus on the mistaken assumption that minus was a neut. comparative (see minus), from PIE base *min- "small" (cf. L. minuere, Gk. minythein, O.E. minsian "to diminish," Skt. miyate "diminishes, declines," Rus. men'she "less"). Some Eng. usages are via O.Fr. menor, from L. minor. Meaning "under-age" (adj.) is from 1579; the noun meaning "under-aged person" is from 1612. The musical sense is from 1694. In U.S. colleges and universities, "subject of study with fewer credits than a major," it is attested from 1890. In the baseball sense, minor league is from 1884; the figurative extension is first recorded 1926.