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List of Greek and Latin roots in English/M

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List of Greek and Latin roots in English starting with the letter M Lists of Greek and Latin roots in English beginning with other letters:

M

Root Meaning in English Origin language Etymology (root origin) English examples
macer- lean Latin macer emaciate, macerate, meager
macr- long Greek μακρός (makrós), μακρότης (makrótēs) "length" macron, macrocosm
magn- great, large Latin magnus magnanimity, magnanimous, magnate, magnificent, magnify, magnitude, magnum
magnet- lodestone Greek μάγνης, μάγνητος (mágnēs, mágnētos) bioelectromagnetism, biomagnetism, diamagnetic, diamagnetism, electromagnet, geomagnetic, magnesium, magnet, magnetic, magnetism, magnetite, magnetize, magnetobiology, magnetologist, magnetometer, magnetosome, manganese, paramagnetic, paramagnetism
maj- greater Latin major, majus majesty, major, majority, majuscule, mayor, semimajor, supermajority
mal- bad, wretched Latin malus dismal, grand mal, malady, malaise, malediction, malefaction, malevolent, malfeasance, malfunction, malice, malicious, malignancy, malnourished, malodorous, premalignant
mamm- breast Latin mamma mammal, mammary, mammography
man-, mant- (ΜΑΝ) crazy Greek μαίνεσθαι (maínesthai), μανία (manía), μανικός (manikós), μάντις hypermania, hypomania, kleptomania, mania, maniac, manic, megalomania, monomania, pyromania, pyromaniac
man- flow Latin mānāre, mānātus emanant, emanate, emanation, immanant, immanation
man- (MAN-) stay Latin manēre, mansus immanence, immanent, impermanence, impermanent, maisonette, manor, manorial, manse, mansion, ménage, menagerie, menial, meiny, messuage, nonpermanence, nonpermanent, permanence, permanent, quasipermanent, remain, remainder, remanence, remanent, remnant, semipermanent
man-, manu- hand Latin manus adminicle, amanuensis, Bimana, bimanous, bimanual, emancipate, mainour, maintain, manacle, manage, manageable, management, managerial, mandamus, mandate, manège, maneuver, manicure, manifer, manifest, manifestation, manifesto, maniform, maniple, manipulation, manipulative, maniraptoran, maniraptoriform, manner, mansuetude, manual, manuary, manubrial, manubrium, manuduction, manufacture, manumission, manumit, manuport, manure, manus, manuscript, mortmain, Quadrumana, quadrumanous
mand-, -mend- order, commit Latin mandāre, mandātus command, commandant, commandment, commend, commendable, commendam, commendation, commendatory, counterdemand, countermand, demand, demandant, encomienda, mandamus, mandatary, mandate, mandator, mandatory, recommend, recommendation, remand, remandment
mar- sea Latin mare, maris maar, mariculture, marina, marinade, marinara, marinate, marination, marine, mariner, maritime, submarine, ultramarine
mas- male, man Latin mās, māris, masculus, masculi emasculate, emasculation, emasculator, masculate, masculine, masculinity
mater-, matr- mother Latin mater, matris maternal, maternity, matrimony, matrix, matron
maxim- greatest Latin maximus maxim, maximal, maximum, submaximal
mechan- machine or instrument Greek μῆχος, μηχανή (mēkhanḗ), μηχανικός (mēkhanikós) machine, mechane, mechanics, mechanism, mechanize, mechanobiology, mechanophilia, mechanophobia
medi-, -midi- middle Latin medius, mediare dimidiation, immediate, intermediary, mean, media, median, mediate, mediation, medieval, mediocre, Mediterranean, medium, moiety, multimedia, postmeridian, submediant
meg-, megal- great, large Greek μέγας, μεγάλου (mégas, megálou) acromegaly, Megacles, megacycle, megalomania, megalopolis, megaphone
mei- less Greek μεῖον (meîon), μείωσις (meíōsis) ameiosis, ameiotic, meiobenthos, meiosis, meiotic
melan- black, dark Greek μέλας, μέλανος (mélas, mélanos), μελανότης amelanism, aphaeomelanism, eumelanin, hypermelanic, melancholic, melancholy, Melanesia, melanin, melanism, melanoblastoma, melanocyte, melanoma, melanophobia, melanophore, melanosis, melatonin, neuromelanin, pheomelanin
melior- better Latin meliorare "to improve", from melior "better" ameliorate, amelioration, meliorism
meliss- bee Greek μέλισσα (mélissa) melissophobia
mell- honey Latin mel, mellis melliferous, mellific, mellifluence, mellifluent, mellifluous, melliloquent, mellivorous
memor- remember Latin memor commemorate, immemorial, memoir, memorabilia, memorable, memorandum, memorial, memory, remembrance
men- month Greek μήν (mḗn) menopause, menorrhea
mening- membrane Greek μήνιγξ, μῆνιγγος (mēninx, mēningos) leptomeninges, meninges, meningioma, meningitis, meninx
mend- defect, fault Latin mendax "lying, a liar", from menda "defect, fault" amend, amendment, emend, mendacious, mendacity
menstru- monthly Latin menstruus menstrual, menstruation
mensur- measure Latin mensura "measurement", from metiri "to measure" commensurable, commensurate, dimension, immense, incommensurable, incommensurate, measure
ment- mind Latin mens, mentis comment, dement, dementia, memento, mental, mentality, mention, reminisce, reminiscence
mer- part Greek μείρεσθαι (meíresthai), μέρος (méros) antimere, antimeria, biopolymer, decamer, decamerous, dimer, dimeric, dimerism, dimerous, enantiomer, enneamer, heptamer, heterodimer, heterotetramer, hexamer, homodimer, homotetramer, isomer, isomeric, isomerism, mereology, merisis, merism, meristem, meristematic, meristic, meromorphic, metamere, metamerism, Moirai, monomer, monomeric, octamer, oligomer, oligomeric, pentamer, pentamerous, photopolymer, phytomer, polymer, tautomerism, telomer, telomere, tetramer, tetrameric, trimer, trimerize
merc- reward, wages, hire Latin merx (genitive mercis) amercement, commerce, commercial, market, mercantile, mercenary, mercery, merchandise, merchant, mercy, noncommercial
merge-, mers- dip, plunge Latin mergere demerge, demersal, demerse, demersion, emerge, emergence, emergency, emergent, emersion, immerge, immergence, immerse, immersible, immersion, immersive, merge, reemerge, reemergence, reimmerse, submerge, submergence, submerse, submersible, submersion
mes- middle Greek μέσος (mésos) Mesolithic, mesophile, mesophilic, mesoscopic, mesosphere, mesozoic
met-, meta- above, among, beyond Greek μετά (metá) metabolism, metalogic, metamorphic, metamorphosis, metaphase, metaphor, metaphysics, metastatic, meteor, method
metall- mine Greek μέταλλον (métallon), μεταλλικός (metallikós) dimetallic, electrometallurgy, hydrometallurgy, metallic, metalloid, metallophobia, metallophone, metallurgist, metallurgy, organometallic, polymetal, polymetallic, pyrometallurgy, tetrametallic, trimetallic
meter-, metr- measure Greek μέτρον (métron) anemometer, anemometric, antisymmetric, antisymmetry, asymmetric, asymmetry, axonometric, barometer, barometric, bathometer, chronometer, diameter, diametric, dysmetria, graphometer, hexameter, hygrometer, hygrometry, isodiametric, isometric, isoperimetric, meter, metre, metric, metrology, metronome, monosymmetric, parameter, parameterize, parametric, parametrize, pentameter, perimeter, polymeter, symmetric, symmetry, telemeter, telemetric, telemetry, tetrameter, thermometer, trimeter, trimetric
metr- mother Greek μήτηρ, μητρός (mḗtēr, mētrós), μητρικός (mētrikós) haplometrosis, metrocyte, metropolis, pleometrosis
mic- grain Latin mica mica, micelle
micr- small Greek μικρός (mikrós), μικρότης microbe, microcosm, microeconomics, micrometer, microphone, microscope, microscopic
migr- wander Latin migrare countermigration, emigrant, emigrate, emigration, émigré, immigrant, immigrate, immigration, migrant, migrate, migration, migrational, migratory, nonmigratory, remigrant, remigrate, remigration, transmigrant, transmigrate, transmigration, transmigratory
milit- soldier Latin mīles, militis militant, military, militia
mill- thousand Latin mille mile, millennium, million
millen- thousand each Latin milleni millenarian, millenary
mim- repeat Greek μιμεῖσθαι (mimeîsthai), μιμητικός (mimētikós), μίμος (mímos) mime, mimeograph, mimesis, mimetic, mimic, necromimesis, pantomime, phenomime, psychomime, psychomimetic
min- jut Latin minere eminence, eminent, imminence, imminent, preeminence, preeminent, prominence, prominent, promontory, supereminence, supereminent
min- less, smaller Latin minor, minus administer, administration, administrative, administrator, administratrix, maladminister, maladministration, minestrone, minister, ministerial, ministerialis, ministerium, ministrant, ministrate, ministration, ministrative, ministry, minor, minority, minstrel, minstrelsy, minus, minuscule, quasiminuscule, semiminor
mina- lead Latin minare, variant of minari amenable, demeanor, promenade
mina- threaten Latin minari menace, minatory
minth- mint Greek μίνθα (míntha), μίνθη (mínthē), μινθάριον Acanthomintha, Mentha, menthol, mint, Minthostachys
mir- wonder, amazement Latin mirus, miror, mirari, miratus sum admirability, admirable, admiration, admirative, admire, marvel, marvelous, miracle, miraculous, mirage, Miranda, mirative, mirativity, mirror
mis- hate Greek μισεῖν (miseîn), μῖσος (mîsos) misandrist, misandry, misanthrope, misanthropy, misocainea, misogamist, misogamy, misogynist, misogyny, misoneism, misopaedia, misophonia, misotheism
misc-, mixt- mix Latin miscere, mixtus admix, admixtion, admixture, commix, commixture, immiscibility, immiscible, immix, immixture, intermix, intermixture, maslin, meddle, mestizo, Métis, miscellanea, miscellaneous, miscellany, miscibility, miscible, mix, mixture, permiscible, permix, permixtion, postmix, premix, promiscuity, promiscuous, remix
miser- unhappy, wretched Latin miser commiserate, commiseration, immiserate, immiseration, miser, miserable, misericord, misery
mit-, miss- (MIT-) send Latin mittere, missus admissibility, admissible, admission, admissive, admit, admittatur, admittee, commissar, commissariat, commissary, commission, commissive, commissural, commissure, commit, commitment, committal, committee, compromis, compromise, compromissary, decommission, decommit, decommitment, demise, demiss, demit, dimissory, dimit, dismiss, dismissal, dismissive, emissary, emission, emissitious, emissive, emissivity, emit, emittent, entremet, fideicommissary, fideicommissum, impermissible, inadmissibility, inadmissible, intermission, intermittent, intromissible, intromission, intromissive, intromit, intromittent, manumission, manumit, mess, message, messenger, missile, mission, missionary, missive, mittimus, noncommittal, omissible, omission, omissive, omit, permissible, permission, permissive, permissory, permit, permittee, premise, premiss, premit, pretermission, pretermit, promise, promisee, promissive, promissory, readmission, readmit, recommit, remise, remiss, remissible, remission, remissive, remissory, remit, remittal, remittance, remittee, remittence, remittent, remittitur, resubmit, retransmission, retransmit, subcommittee, submission, submissive, submit, surmise, transmissibility, transmissible, transmission, transmissive, transmit, transmittal
mit- thread Greek μίτος (mítos) mitochondrion, mitosis, mitospore
mn- Greek μνᾶ (mnâ) mina, mna
mne- memory Greek μνᾶσθαι (mnâsthai), μνήμη (mnḗmē) amnesia, amnesty, anamnesis, anamnestic, dysmnesia, Mneme, mneme, mnemonic
mod- measure, change Latin modus "measure" accommodate, accommodation, accommodative, accommodator, bimodal, bimodality, bimodular, bimodule, commode, commodification, commodious, commodity, decommodification, demodulate, demodulation, demodulator, immodest, immodesty, intermodal, intermodulation, modal, modality, mode, model, moderate, moderation, moderato, moderator, modern, modernity, modest, modesty, modicum, modification, modify, modiolus, modular, modularity, modulate, modulation, modulator, module, modulo, modulus, multimodal, multimodality, postmodern, postmodernity, Quasimodo, remodel, remodulate, supermodel, trimodal, trimodality, ultramodern, ultramodernity, unimodal, unimodality, unimodular, unimodularity
mol- grind Latin mola, molere, molitus molar
moll- soft Latin mollis emollience, emollient, moil, mollescence, mollescent, mollient, mollification, mollify, mollitude, mollusc, molluscicide, molluscivore, mollusk
mon- alone, only Greek μόνος (mónos), μονάς, μονάδος (monás, monádos) monachism, monad, monadic, monarchy, monastery, monastic, monasticism, monatomic, monism, monist, monk, monoid, monolith, monometer, monopod, monopoly, monopsony, monotone
mon- warn Latin monere, monitus admonish, admonishment, admonition, admonitor, admonitory, monition, monitor, monitory, monument, monumental, premonition, premonitory, resummon, summon
monil- string of beads Latin monile monilifer, moniliform, Moniliformida
monstra- show Latin monstrāre counterdemonstration, counterdemonstrator, demonstrable, demonstrant, demonstrate, demonstration, demonstrative, demonstrator, demonstratory, indemonstrable, monster, monstrance, monstration, monstrosity, monstrous, muster, premonstrant, premonstrate, Premonstratensian, premonstration, premonstrator, remonstrance, remonstrant, remonstrate, remonstration, remonstrative
mont- mountain Latin mons, montis amount, Belmont, cismontane, dismount, insurmountable, intermontane, montage, montan, Montana, montane, montant, monticello, monticule, montiform, montigenous, mount, mountaineer, mountainous, nonremontant, paramount, piedmont, remontancy, remontant, remontoire, remount, submontane, surmount, surmountable, tantamount, tramontana, tramontane, transmontane, ultramontane, Vermont
mor- foolish, dull Greek μωρός (mōrós) moron, moronic, oxymoron, oxymoronic, sophomore, sophomoric
mor- pause, delay Latin morari "to delay", from mora "a pause, delay" demur, demure, demurrable, demurrage, demurral, demurrer, mora, moratorium, remora, remorate
mor- custom, disposition Latin mos, moris immoral, immorality, moral, morale, morality, mores, morigerous, morose, morosity
mord- bite Latin mordere, morsus mordacious, mordacity, mordancy, mordant, mordent, mordente, mordicancy, mordicant, mordication, mordicative, morsel, morsitation, premorse, remorse
morph- form, shape Greek μορφή (morphḗ) allomorph, amorphous, anamorph, anamorphic, anamorphism, anamorphosis, anthropomorphism, apomorphy, autapomorphy, automorphism, catamorphism, dimorphic, dimorphism, dysmorphic, dysmorphophobia, ectomorph, ectomorphic, enantiomorph, enantiomorphic, endomorph, endomorphic, epimorphism, geomorphology, hemimorphic, holomorph, holomorphic, holomorphism, homeomorphic, homeomorphism, homomorphic, homomorphism, hylomorphism, hypermorphosis, isomorphic, isomorphism, mesomorph, mesomorphic, metamorphic, metamorphism, metamorphosis, monomorphic, monomorphism, morpheme, Morpheus, morphine, morphology, morphosyntactic, morphosyntax, paramorph, peramorphism, peramorphosis, perimorph, plesiomorphy, polymorphic, polymorphism, pseudomorph, synapomorphy, teleomorph, teleomorphic, theriomorphic, trimorphic, trimorphism, zoomorph, zoomorphism
mort- death Latin mors, mortis antemortem, immortal, immortality, mortal, mortality, mortician, mortiferous, mortification, mortuary
mov-, mot-, mut- move, motion Latin movere, motus admove, amotion, amove, bimotor, cocommutator, commotion, commove, commutable, commutation, commutative, commutativity, commutator, commute, countermotion, countermove, countermovement, demote, demotion, emotion, emotional, emotive, emotivity, emove, equimomental, immobile, immutable, immutation, immute, incommutable, locomotion, locomotive, mobile, mobility, molt, moment, momental, momentaneous, momentary, momentous, momentum, motation, motif, motile, motility, motion, motional, motivate, motivation, motivational, motivator, motive, motor, moult, movant, move, movement, movent, mutability, mutable, mutate, mutation, mutineer, mutinous, mutiny, mutual, mutuality, noncommutative, noncommutativity, nonmotile, nonmotility, nonmutual, pari-mutuel, permutable, permutate, permutation, permutational, permute, promote, promotion, promotional, promotive, promotor, promove, remote, remotion, removal, remove, subpermutation, transmove, transmutable, transmutate, transmutation, transmute, transmutual, trimotor
mulg-, muls- milk Latin mulgere emulsion
multi- many, much Latin multus multilingual, multiple, multiplex, multiplication, multiplicity, multiply, multitude, multitudinous
mund- world Latin mundus anima mundi, antemundane, demimondaine, demimonde, extramundane, intramundane, map, mondain, mondaine, mondial, mondo, mundane, mundanity, ultramundane
mur- wall Latin mūrus, muri antemural, immuration, immure, immurement, intramural, murage, mural
mus- mouse Greek/Latin μῦς, μυός (mûs, muós) / mus, muris musophobia
musc- fly Latin musca, muscae Musca, muscarine, Muscicapa, Muscicapidae, Muscidae, musciform, mosquito
mut- change Latin mūtare immutable, mutation, permutation, transmute
my- mouse Greek μῦς, μυός (mûs, muós), μυών amyotrophic, electromyogram, electromyograph, electromyography, endomysium, epimysium, murine, musophobia, myoelectric, myomancy, myomorphous, myomorphy, myopathy, myositis, myotome, Nectomys, Oryzomys, perimysium, Sigmodontomys
my- shut (the eyes) Greek μύειν (múein), μύσις (músis), μύστης (mústēs) miosis, myopia, myopic, myosis, mystery
mycet- fungus Greek μύκης, μύκητος (múkēs, múkētos) ascomycete, basidiomycete, mycology, Mycoplasma, zygomycete, zygomycosis
mydr- dilate Greek μύδρος, μυδρίασις (mudríasis) mydriasis
myel- marrow Greek μυελός (muelós) amyelia, myeloblast, myelocyte, myelogenous, myeloid, myelopoiesis, poliomyelitis
myl- mill Greek μύλη (múlē), μύλος (múlos) amyloid, amyloidosis, amylolysis, amylopectin, amylophagia, amyloplast, amylose, amylum
myo- muscle Greek μυς (mys) leiomyoma
myri- countless, ten thousand Greek μυρίος (muríos) myriad, myriagon, myriagram, myriapod, myriapodology
myrmec- ant Greek μύρμηξ (múrmēx) myrmecochory, myrmecoid, myrmecology, myrmecophobia, Myrmidons, myrmomancy
mys- uncleanness Greek μύσος (músos) mysophilia, mysophobia
myth- story Greek μῦθος (mûthos) mythic, mythology, mythomania, mythopoeia, mythos
myx- slime Greek μύσσομαι, μύξα (múxa) match, myxedema, myxoedema, Myxini, myxogastrid
myz- suck Greek μυζάω (muzáō), μύζησις (múzēsis) Myzopoda


References

  1. μακρός in Liddell and Scott
  2. μάγνης in Liddell and Scott
  3. μαίνομαι in Liddell and Scott
  4. μαίνομαι in Middle Liddell and Scott
  5. maneō. Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short. A Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project.
  6. μῆχος in Liddell and Scott
  7. μέγας in Liddell and Scott
  8. μεῖον in Liddell and Scott
  9. μέλας in Liddell and Scott
  10. μέλισσα in Liddell and Scott
  11. μῆνιγξ in Liddell and Scott
  12. μείρομαι in Liddell and Scott
  13. μέσος in Liddell and Scott
  14. μετά in Liddell and Scott
  15. μέταλλον in Liddell and Scott
  16. μήτηρ in Liddell and Scott
  17. μικρός in Liddell and Scott
  18. μιμέομαι in Liddell and Scott
  19. μίνθα in Liddell and Scott
  20. μισέω in Liddell and Scott
  21. mittō. Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short. A Latin Dictionary on Perseus Project.
  22. μίτος in Liddell and Scott
  23. μνᾶ in Liddell and Scott
  24. μνάομαι in Liddell and Scott
  25. μόνος in Liddell and Scott
  26. μωρός in Liddell and Scott
  27. μορφή in Liddell and Scott
  28. μῦς in Liddell and Scott
  29. μύω in Liddell and Scott
  30. μύκης in Liddell and Scott
  31. μύδρος in Liddell and Scott
  32. μυελός in Liddell and Scott
  33. μύλη in Liddell and Scott
  34. "Greek Word Study Tool". www.perseus.tufts.edu. Retrieved 2018-10-24.
  35. μυρίος in Liddell and Scott
  36. μύρμηξ in Liddell and Scott
  37. μύσος in Liddell and Scott
  38. μῦθος in Liddell and Scott
  39. μυζάω in Liddell and Scott
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