Vile despicable; unpleasant; disgusting; Ex. Vile slander

misapprehension error; misunderstanding; V. misapprehend

miscellany mixture of writings on various subjects; collection of various items

miscellaneous made up of a variety of parts

mischance ill luck

misconstrue interpret incorrectly; misinterpret; misjudge

miscreant wretch; wrongdoer; villain; Ex. kindness to the miscreant; CF. believe

wretch miserable person; bad or despicable person; ADJ. wretched: miserable; bad; contemptible; vile

misdemeanor minor crime; misdeed; wrongdoing

misconduct immoral behavior; bad management; V.

miserly stingy; mean

misgivings doubts

mishap unfortunate accident

misnomer wrong or improper name; incorrect designation

Barron's word list 31

misogamy hatred of marriage

misogynist hater of woman; CF. misogyny

missile object to be thrown or projected

missive letter; written statement; CF. sent

mite very small object or insect-like creature; small coin

mitigate appease; moderate; make or become less in force or intensity

mnemonic pertaining to memory; assisting the memory; N: device, such as as formula or rhyme, used as a mnemonic aid

mobile movable; not fixed; N. mobility

mock ridicule; deride; imitate often in derision

mode prevailing style; current fashion; manner; way of doing something; Ex. in the latest mode; Ex. simple mode of life

modicum limited quantity; small amount; Ex. He does not have a modicum of sense; CF. moderate

modish fashionable; conforming to the current fashion

modulate tone down in intensity; change the intensity or tone of; regulate; change from one musical key to another; Ex. modulate from E to G

mogul powerful person; Ex. oil moguls; CF. Mogol, Moghul; CF. Mongolian

molecule the smallest particle (one or more atoms) of a substance that has all the properties of that substance

mollify soothe an angry person

mollycoddle pamper; coddle; baby; indulge excessively

molt(moult) periodically shed or cast off hairs or feathers (for replacement by a new growth)

molten melted; Ex. molten lava

momentous very important; N. moment; CF. momentary

momentum quantity of motion of a moving body; impetus; moving force

monarchy government under a single ruler

monastic related to monks or monasteries; removed from worldly concerns

monetary pertaining to money

monochromatic having only one color

monochrome painting in only one color; ADJ.

monogram design composed of one or more initials of a name; V.

monograph scholarly article

monolithic solidly uniform; unchangeable; unyielding; N. monolith: large block of stone

monotheism belief in one God

monotony sameness leading to boredom; monotonousness; ADJ. monotonous; CF. monotone

monumental massive; impressively large; built as a monument

moodiness fits of depression or gloom; ADJ. moody: given to changeable moods; subject to periods of depression; gloomy CF. mood: state of mind or emotion

moratorium legal delay of payment or action; Ex. declare moratorium on the building of new houses

morbid given to unwholesome or unhealthy thought; moody; characteristic of disease; Ex. morbid curiosity; N. morbidity; CF. disease

mordant biting; sarcastic; stinging; (apprec.) incisive; cutting; Ex. mordant pen/wit

mores conventions; moral standards; moral customs

moribund dying; at the point of death; CF. death

morose ill-humored; sullen; sullenly melancholy

mortician undertaker; CF. death

undertaker funeral director; one whose business is to arrange burials

mortify humiliate by embarassing excessively; shame; punish the flesh; discipline (one's body) by self-denial; Ex. mortified by her blunder; Ex. mortify the flesh; CF. cause to die

mosaic picture made of small colorful inlaid tiles; ADJ.

mote small speck (esp. of dust)

speck small piece or mark; Ex. speck of dust in the eye

motif theme; recurrent thematic element in a musical or literary work; single or repeated pattern; figure

motility ability to move spontaneously; ADJ. motile: moving spontaneously

motley multi-colored (as of a garment worn by a jester); mixed; heterogeneous; CF. jester: one who jests (as a paid fool at medieval courts)

motto brief statement used to express a principle

mottled blotched in coloring; spotted; Ex. mottled face; V. mottle: mark with blotches of different colors

blotch spot; blot; CF. blot+botch

blemish mar; spoil the beauty or perfection of; N: flaw or defect (that spoils perfection); Ex. blemishes in the crystal; CF. unblemished

mountebank charlatan; boastful pretender

peddle travel about selling (wares); CF. foot

muddle confuse; mix up confusedly; N: state of confusion

muggy (of weather) warm and damp

mulct defraud a person of something; swindle; Ex. mulct the boy of his legacy

multifarious varied; greatly diversified; Ex. multifarious activities

multiform having many forms

multilingual having many languages; fluent in several languages

multiplicity state of being numerous or multiple; large number; Ex. multiplicity of details; ADJ. multiple: of more than one element

mundane worldly as opposed to spiritual; everyday; of the ordinary; Ex. mundane existence; CF. world

munificent very generous in giving; Ex. munificent benefactor; N. munificience

mural wall painting

murky dark and gloomy; thick with fog; vague; Ex. murky night/fog; N. murk: partial or complete darkness; gloom

muse ponder at length; N: source of inspiration (esp. of a poet)

musky having the odor of musk; N. musk: odorous substance secreted by an Asian deer

muster gather; assemble (troops); Ex. muster up one's strength for the ordeal; N.

musty stale (in odor or taste); spoiled by age; CF. moist

mutablility ability to change in form; fickleness; ADJ. mutable: able to change; fickle; CF. mutate; CF. mutant

muted silent; muffled; toned down; Ex. muted traffic noise

mute silent; without speech; not pronounced; unable to speak; N: one who is incapable of speech; V: soften the sound, color, shade of

mutilate maim; injure lastingly; deprive of a limb or an essential part

mutinous unruly; rebellious; Ex. mutinous teenagers; N. mutiny: open rebellion; CF. mutineer

myopic nearsighted; lacking foresight; N. myopia

myriad very large number; ADJ. CF. ten thousand

nadir lowest point; point on the celestial sphere diametrically opposite the zenith

naivet\'e(naivety) quality of being unsophisticated; simplicity; artlessness; gullibility; ADJ. naive(na\"ive): ingenuous; lacking worldliness; simple; credulous

narcissist conceited person; N. narcissism; CF. narcissus

narrative related to telling a story; N: narrated account; story; V. narrate: tell (a story); CF. narration

nascent incipient; coming into being or existence; Ex. nascent ability in music

Barron's word list 32

natation swimming

natty neatly or smartly dressed; dapper; smart; Ex. natty dresser

smart intelligent; quick and energetic; fashionable; Ex. smart pace/restaurant; V: cause or feel a sharp pain; N: smarting pain

nauseate cause to become sick; fill with disgust; fill nausea

nausea feeling of sickness and desire to vomit; disgust; CF. seasickness

nauseous causing nausea; feeling nausea

nautical pertaining to ships or navigation

navigable (of a body of water) wide and deep enough to allow ships to pass through; (of a ship or aircraft) able to be steered

nebulous vague; hazy; cloudy; of a nebula; Ex. nebulous proposal

nebula diffuse mass of interstellar dust or gas; galaxy

necromancy black magic; sorcery; dealings with the dead; art that professes to communicate with the spirits of the dead so as to predict the future; CF. necromancer; CF. necro+divination; CF. necro-: death; Ex. necropolis

nefarious very wicked

negate cancel out; nullify; cause to have no effect; deny; N. negation

negligence neglect; failure to take reasonable care; ADJ. negligent: neglectful; lax; not taking enough care

negligible so small, trifling, or unimportant as to be easily disregarded

nemesis someone seeking revenge; source of downfall or ruin; CF. Nemesis

neologism new or newly coined word or phrase

neophyte recent convert; new member of a religious group; beginner; CF. plant

nepotism favoritism (to a relative); CF. nephew

favoritism display of partiality toward a favored person

nether lower; Ex. nether garments/regions

nettle irritate; annoy; vex; ADJ. nettlesome

nexus connection

nib beak(bill); pen point

nicety precision; accuracy; minute distinction or difference; Ex. to a nicety: exactly; precisely; Ex. distinguish between niceties

niggardly meanly stingy; parsimonious; N. niggard: stingy person

niggle spend too much time on minor points (esp. when finding fault); find fault; Ex. niggle over details; ADJ. niggling

nihilist one who considers traditional beliefs to be groundless and existence meaningless; absolute skeptic; revolutionary terrorist; CF. nihilism: belief that nothing has meaning or value; belief that destruction of existing political or social institutions is necessary for future improvement

nip snip off; stop something's growth or development; bite; make numb with cold; Ex. nip the plan; Ex. A guard dog nipped the postman; Ex. fingers nipped by the extreme chill

snip short quick cut with scissors; V: cut with scissors

pinch squeeze between the thumb and a finger, or other edges; Ex. I had to pinch myself to make sure I wasn't dreaming. N: amount that can be held between the thumb and a finger

nirvana in Buddhist teachings, the ideal state in which the individual loses himself in the attainment of an impersonal beatitude