Oxford 3000 Words Starting with M – Complete List with Meanings & Quizzes

machine noun

Short meaning: a device that uses power to perform a particular task.

Example: A washing machine saves time.

machinery noun (uncountable)

Short meaning: large machines used for industrial or farming work.

Example: The factory bought new machinery.

mad adjective

Short meaning 1: very angry.

Short meaning 2: mentally ill or behaving in a wild way (informal).

Example: He was mad at his friend.

magazine noun

Short meaning: a publication released weekly or monthly with articles and pictures.

Example: She bought a fashion magazine.

magic noun / adjective

Short meaning (noun): the use of mysterious or supernatural powers.

Short meaning (adj): having a wonderful or special quality.

Example: The show felt like real magic.

mail noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): letters and packages sent through a postal system.

Short meaning (verb): to send something by post.

Example: He mailed the documents yesterday.

main adjective

Short meaning: most important; primary.

Example: The main reason was cost.

mainly adverb

Short meaning: mostly; for the most part.

Example: The class is mainly beginners.

maintain verb

Short meaning: to keep something in good condition or at the same level.

Example: They maintain high standards.

major adjective / noun

Short meaning (adj): very important or serious.

Short meaning (noun): the main subject a student studies at university.

Example: A major change is coming.

majority noun

Short meaning: more than half of a group.

Example: The majority agreed.

make verb

Short meaning: to create or produce something; to cause something to happen.

Example: They made a cake together.

makeup noun (also make-up)

Short meaning: colored substances used on the face to enhance appearance.

Example: She bought new makeup.

male adjective / noun

Short meaning (adj): relating to men or boys.

Short meaning (noun): a man or boy.

Example: A male student asked a question.

mall noun

Short meaning: a large building with many shops inside.

Example: They spent the afternoon at the mall.

man noun

Short meaning: an adult male human.

Example: A man opened the door.

manage verb

Short meaning: to control or be in charge of something; to deal with something successfully.

Example: She manages a small team.

management noun (uncountable)

Short meaning: the act of controlling or organizing something, especially a business.

Example: Good management improves results.

manager noun

Short meaning: a person who is responsible for controlling or organizing a group or activity.

Example: The manager approved the plan.

manner noun

Short meaning: the way in which something happens or is done.

Example: She spoke in a calm manner.

manufacture verb

Short meaning: to produce goods using machines in a factory.

Example: They manufacture electronics.

manufacturer noun

Short meaning: a company that produces goods in large quantities.

Example: The manufacturer released a new model.

manufacturing noun (uncountable)

Short meaning: the process of producing goods in large quantities using machinery.

Example: Manufacturing is vital for the economy.

many determiner / pronoun

Short meaning: a large number of people or things.

Example: Many students joined the class.

map noun

Short meaning: a drawing showing the arrangement of streets, countries, or physical areas.

Example: She checked the map before traveling.

March noun (month)

Short meaning: the third month of the year.

Example: The event is in March.

march verb / noun

Short meaning (verb): to walk with steady, firm steps, especially in a group.

Short meaning (noun): a public walk or demonstration.

Example: They marched for their rights.

mark noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): a sign or small area of damage, color, or shape.

Short meaning (verb): to leave a sign on something or to score in a test.

Example: He got a high mark in the exam.

market noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): a place where people buy and sell goods.

Short meaning (verb): to promote or sell a product.

Example: The new product is marketed online.

marketing noun (uncountable)

Short meaning: the activity of promoting and selling products or services.

Example: She works in digital marketing.

marriage noun

Short meaning: the legal or social union of two people as partners.

Example: Their marriage has lasted 20 years.

married adjective

Short meaning: having a husband or wife.

Example: They are married with two children.

marry verb

Short meaning: to become the husband or wife of someone.

Example: They decided to marry in June.

mass noun (countable/uncountable)

Short meaning: a large amount or number of something; in science, the amount of matter.

Example: A mass of people gathered outside.

massive adjective

Short meaning: extremely large or heavy.

Example: They built a massive stadium.

master noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): a skilled person or expert.

Short meaning (verb): to become very skilled at something.

Example: She mastered French in two years.

match noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): a game or contest between teams or people.

Short meaning (verb): to go well with something or be equal to it.

Example: The shoes match your dress.

matching adjective

Short meaning: having the same pattern, style, or color and going well together.

Example: They wore matching outfits.

mate noun

Short meaning: a friend; in animals, the partner they breed with.

Example: He’s my best mate.

material noun / adjective

Short meaning (noun): a substance used to make something.

Short meaning (adj): related to physical things, not spiritual.

Example: The dress is made of soft material.

math noun (uncountable)

Short meaning: the study of numbers, shapes, and calculations.

Example: Math is my favorite subject.

mathematics noun (uncountable)

Short meaning: the full academic field of math, including arithmetic, algebra, and geometry.

Example: He studies mathematics at university.

matter noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): a subject, situation, or problem that needs to be dealt with.

Short meaning (verb): to be important or have an effect.

Example: It doesn’t matter what other people think.

maximum noun / adjective

Short meaning (noun): the greatest amount or level possible.

Short meaning (adj): being as great or high as possible.

Example: The maximum speed on this road is 80 km/h.

May noun (proper)

Short meaning: the fifth month of the year.

Example: The exam is in May.

maybe adverb

Short meaning: perhaps; used to show that something is possible but not certain.

Example: Maybe we can go out this weekend.

mayor noun

Short meaning: the elected head of a city or town government.

Example: The mayor opened the new park.

me pronoun

Short meaning: the form of “I” used as an object.

Example: She gave me a book.

meal noun

Short meaning: an occasion when you eat food, such as breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Example: We had a big meal together.

mean verb / adjective

Short meaning (verb): to have something as a meaning or intention.

Short meaning (adj): unkind or cruel.

Example: What does this word mean?

meaning noun

Short meaning: what a word, sign, or action expresses or represents.

Example: I don’t know the meaning of this phrase.

means noun (singular/plural form)

Short meaning 1: a method or way of doing something.

Short meaning 2: money and resources that someone has.

Example: Education is a means to better opportunities.

meanwhile adverb

Short meaning: at the same time; in the period between two events.

Example: I’ll cook dinner. Meanwhile, you can set the table.

measure verb / noun

Short meaning (verb): to find the size, amount, or degree of something.

Short meaning (noun): an action taken to achieve a particular result.

Example: The government introduced new safety measures.

measurement noun

Short meaning: the act of finding the size, amount, or degree of something, or the size itself.

Example: Take the measurements before buying curtains.

meat noun (uncountable)

Short meaning: the flesh of animals used as food.

Example: They don’t eat meat, only vegetables.

media noun (plural)

Short meaning: the organizations and channels that share news and information, such as TV, radio, newspapers, and the internet.

Example: The story was reported in the local media.

medical adjective

Short meaning: related to medicine, doctors, or health treatments.

Example: She needs medical advice.

medicine noun

Short meaning: a substance used to treat illness or injury.

Example: Take this medicine twice a day.

medium noun / adjective

Short meaning (noun): a way of communicating or expressing something.

Short meaning (adj): of middle size, level, or quality.

Example: Choose medium size, please.

meet verb

Short meaning: to see and talk to someone, often for the first time or at a planned time.

Example: Let’s meet after work.

meeting noun

Short meaning: an event where people come together to discuss or decide something.

Example: The meeting starts at 10 AM.

melt verb

Short meaning: to change from solid to liquid because of heat.

Example: The ice will melt in the sun.

member noun

Short meaning: a person who belongs to a group or organization.

Example: He is a member of the club.

membership noun (uncountable/countable)

Short meaning: the state of belonging to a group or organization.

Example: Membership is renewed yearly.

memory noun

Short meaning: the ability to remember things, or something you remember.

Example: She has a good memory for names.

mental adjective

Short meaning: related to the mind or thinking.

Example: Mental health is important.

mentally adverb

Short meaning: in a way that relates to the mind or thinking ability.

Example: He is mentally prepared for the challenge.

mention verb / noun

Short meaning (verb): to speak about something briefly.

Short meaning (noun): a comment that refers to something.

Example: She didn’t mention the problem.

menu noun

Short meaning: a list of food and drinks available in a restaurant.

Example: The menu offers many choices.

mere adjective

Short meaning: used to emphasize that something is small, unimportant, or “only”.

Example: It was a mere suggestion.

merely adverb

Short meaning: only; just; nothing more.

Example: It was merely a joke.

mess noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): a dirty or untidy state, or a confusing situation.

Short meaning (verb): to make something dirty or untidy.

Example: My desk is always a mess.

message noun

Short meaning: a piece of written or spoken information sent to someone.

Example: I left you a voice message.

messy adjective

Short meaning: dirty or untidy; not well organized.

Example: His room is always messy.

metal noun

Short meaning: a hard, usually shiny material such as iron, gold, or steel.

Example: The gate is made of metal.

method noun

Short meaning: a planned or organized way of doing something.

Example: This is an effective study method.

mg noun (abbreviation)

Short meaning: a short form of “milligram”, a unit of weight used especially for medicine.

Example: The tablet contains 500 mg of the drug.

mid- prefix

Short meaning: added to words to mean “middle” or “halfway through”.

Example: mid-September, mid-morning.

middle noun / adjective

Short meaning (noun): the center or halfway point of something.

Short meaning (adj): in the center position or level.

Example: She stood in the middle of the room.

midnight noun

Short meaning: 12 o’clock at night.

Example: The train leaves at midnight.

might modal verb

Short meaning: used to say that something is possible or that you are not sure.

Example: It might rain later.

mild adjective

Short meaning: not strong or extreme; gentle in degree, taste, or effect.

Example: He has a mild headache.

mile noun

Short meaning: a unit of distance equal to about 1.6 kilometers.

Example: The village is two miles away.

military adjective

Short meaning: related to the army or other armed forces.

Example: He served in the military for five years.

milk noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): the white liquid produced by cows and used as food.

Short meaning (verb): to get milk from a cow or similar animal.

Example: She drinks a glass of milk every morning.

milligram noun

Short meaning: a unit of weight equal to one thousandth of a gram (mg).

Example: The tablet contains 250 milligrams of calcium.

millimeter noun

Short meaning: a unit of length equal to one thousandth of a meter (mm).

Example: The crack was only a few millimeters wide.

mind noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): the part of a person that thinks, feels, and remembers.

Short meaning (verb): to be annoyed or worried by something; to care about something.

Example: Do you mind if I open the window?

mine pronoun / noun

Short meaning (pronoun): belonging to me.

Short meaning (noun): a deep hole or system of tunnels where minerals are taken from the ground.

Example: This book is mine.

mineral noun

Short meaning: a natural substance found in the earth, often important for health.

Example: Calcium is an essential mineral.

minimum noun / adjective

Short meaning (noun): the smallest or lowest amount possible.

Short meaning (adj): the least possible or allowed.

Example: You need a minimum of 60% to pass.

minister noun

Short meaning: a government official in charge of a department; or a church leader.

Example: The minister announced a new policy.

ministry noun

Short meaning: a government department responsible for a particular area.

Example: She works for the Ministry of Health.

minor adjective / noun

Short meaning (adj): small or not very important.

Short meaning (noun): someone under the age of 18.

Example: It was only a minor mistake.

minority noun

Short meaning: a smaller group within a larger population; less than half.

Example: Only a minority of people agreed.

minute noun / adjective

Short meaning (noun): a unit of time equal to 60 seconds.

Short meaning (adj): extremely small.

Example: Wait a few minutes.

mirror noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): a piece of glass that reflects images.

Short meaning (verb): to reflect something or be similar to it.

Example: She looked at herself in the mirror.

miss verb

Short meaning: to fail to hit, reach, or meet; to feel sad because someone is absent.

Example: I miss my friends when they’re away.

missing adjective

Short meaning: lost or not able to be found.

Example: One file is still missing.

mistake noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): something you do wrong; an error.

Short meaning (verb): to misunderstand something or think incorrectly.

Example: It was a simple mistake.

mistaken adjective

Short meaning: being wrong about something.

Example: You are mistaken about the date.

mix verb / noun

Short meaning (verb): to combine two or more things together.

Short meaning (noun): a combination of different things.

Example: Mix the flour and eggs well.

mixed adjective

Short meaning: having different types or feelings combined.

Example: She had mixed emotions about leaving.

mixture noun

Short meaning: a combination of different things blended together.

Example: The cake mixture should be smooth.

mm abbreviation

Short meaning: the abbreviation for millimeter, a unit of length in the metric system.

Example: The crack was about 3 mm wide.

mobile adjective / noun

Short meaning (adj): able to move or be moved easily.

Short meaning (noun): short for mobile phone.

Example: She forgot her mobile at home.

model noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): a smaller copy or a person who shows clothes.

Short meaning (verb): to shape or form something.

Example: This is the latest car model.

modern adjective

Short meaning: relating to the present time; new or advanced in style.

Example: The building has a modern design.

mom noun

Short meaning: informal word for mother.

Example: My mom is a teacher.

moment noun

Short meaning: a very short period of time; an important time.

Example: Wait a moment, please.

Monday noun

Short meaning: the day of the week after Sunday.

Example: The meeting is on Monday.

money noun

Short meaning: the system of coins and notes used to buy things.

Example: She saved money for a new phone.

monitor noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): a screen used with computers.

Short meaning (verb): to watch, check, or track something carefully.

Example: The nurse monitored the patient’s progress.

month noun

Short meaning: one of the twelve periods of the year.

Example: She pays rent every month.

mood noun

Short meaning: the way someone feels at a particular time.

Example: She’s in a good mood today.

moon noun

Short meaning: the natural object that shines in the night sky.

Example: The moon was very bright last night.

moral adjective / noun

Short meaning (adj): relating to right and wrong behavior.

Short meaning (noun): a lesson about right and wrong.

Example: The story teaches an important moral.

morally adverb

Short meaning: in a way that concerns what is right and wrong.

Example: She felt morally responsible.

more det. / pronoun / adverb

Short meaning: a larger amount; to a greater degree.

Example: I need more time.

moreover adverb

Short meaning: used to add extra, important information.

Example: The plan is expensive; moreover, it’s risky.

morning noun

Short meaning: the early part of the day, before midday.

Example: I have a class in the morning.

most det. / pronoun / adverb

Short meaning: the largest amount or number; more than anyone or anything else.

Example: Most people enjoyed the event.

mostly adverb

Short meaning: mainly; for the most part.

Example: The class is mostly international students.

mother noun

Short meaning: a female parent.

Example: Her mother is a doctor.

motion noun

Short meaning: movement; the act of moving.

Example: The motion of the train made her sleepy.

motor noun

Short meaning: a machine that produces movement or power.

Example: The motor needs repairing.

motorcycle noun

Short meaning: a two-wheeled motor vehicle.

Example: He rode his motorcycle to work.

mount verb / noun

Short meaning (verb): to climb or get onto something; to fix something in place.

Short meaning (noun): something used to support or hold an object.

Example: They mounted the TV on the wall.

mountain noun

Short meaning: a very high hill or landform.

Example: They climbed a mountain last year.

mouse noun

Short meaning: a small animal; also a device used to control a computer.

Example: I bought a new computer mouse.

mouth noun

Short meaning: the part of the face used for eating, speaking, and breathing.

Example: She opened her mouth to speak.

move verb / noun

Short meaning (verb): to change position or place.

Short meaning (noun): an action or step taken to achieve something.

Example: Please move your chair.

movement noun

Short meaning: the act or process of moving.

Example: The movement of the car made him sleepy.

movie noun

Short meaning: a film shown in a cinema or on TV.

Example: We watched a movie last night.

movie theater noun

Short meaning: a place where movies are shown on a big screen.

Example: They went to the movie theater on Friday.

moving adjective

Short meaning: causing strong emotion; touching.

Example: It was a moving speech.

Mr. title

Short meaning: used before a man’s family name.

Example: Mr. Brown is our teacher.

Mrs. title

Short meaning: used before the family name of a married woman.

Example: Mrs. Carter lives next door.

Ms. title

Short meaning: used before a woman’s name when marital status is not mentioned.

Example: Ms. King will call you later.

much det. / pronoun / adverb

Short meaning: a large amount of something uncountable; to a great degree.

Example: There isn’t much time left.

mud noun

Short meaning: wet, soft earth.

Example: The kids played in the mud.

multiply verb

Short meaning: to increase in number; in math, to calculate by multiplication.

Example: Bacteria multiply rapidly.

murder noun / verb

Short meaning (noun): the crime of killing someone intentionally.

Short meaning (verb): to kill someone deliberately.

Example: He was arrested for murder.

muscle noun

Short meaning: a body tissue that makes movement possible.

Example: He pulled a muscle while running.

museum noun

Short meaning: a building where important objects are shown to the public.

Example: They visited the art museum.

music noun

Short meaning: sounds made in a way that is pleasant to listen to.

Example: She loves classical music.

musical adjective / noun

Short meaning (adj): related to music; having a pleasant sound.

Short meaning (noun): a play or film with singing and dancing.

Example: They watched a musical last night.

musician noun

Short meaning: a person who plays a musical instrument or writes music.

Example: He is a talented musician.

must modal verb

Short meaning: used to say something is necessary or very important.

Example: You must wear a seatbelt.

my pronoun (possessive)

Short meaning: belonging to me.

Example: This is my book.

myself pronoun (reflexive)

Short meaning: the reflexive form of “I”; used for emphasis or self-action.

Example: I made it myself.

mysterious adjective

Short meaning: strange or difficult to explain or understand.

Example: A mysterious sound came from the woods.

mystery noun

Short meaning: something that is difficult to understand or explain.

Example: The cause of the fire is still a mystery.