Category: Word of the Day – M

ETYMOLOGY
from miso- (hatred or dislike of), + Greek γελαστός (laughable) + -ic;
apparently after agelastic (never laughing, hating laughter)

EXAMPLE
“… We have in this world men whom Rabelais would call agelasts; that is to say, non-laughers; men who are in that respect as dead bodies, which if you prick them do not bleed. The old grey boulder-stone that has finished its peregrination from the rock to the valley, is as easily to be set rolling up again as these men laughing. No collision of circumstances in our mortal career strikes a light for them. It is but one step from being agelastic to misogelastic, and the μῖσογέλως, the laughter-hating, soon learns to dignify his dislike as an objection in morality. …”

From: New Quarterly Magazine, Vol. 8, 1877
On the Idea of Comedy, and of the Uses of the Comic Spirit
By George Meredith

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin motitat-, past participial stem of motitare (to move),
from motare (to set in motion, to keep moving) + -itare (-itate) + -ion

EXAMPLE
“… because muscles in this, scarce otherwise then in other functions, are strained; & therefore you rest a trembling Head upon a cush∣on, you shall soon stay the trembling, and free it from that motitation. And hence it is that we know this motion of the Head is voluntary …”

From: Pathomyotamia, or, A dissection of the significative muscles of the affections of the minde
By John Bulwer, 1649

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin malacia (a calm at sea), from Greek µαλακία (malakia) (softness)

EXAMPLE
The sea journey had its ups and downs – storms broke out followed by a malace that slowed the ship’s progress.

ETYMOLOGY
from mim (reserved or restrained in manner or behaviour, esp. in a contrived or priggish way; affectedly modest, demure; primly silent) + -mouthed

EXAMPLE
“… Pictures of miminy-mouthed ladies and spindly fops…”

From: The People of Clopton
By George Bartram, 1897

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin malus (bad) + -ferous (bearing, producing)

EXAMPLE
“… I had really forgotten to mention that gallant, fine-hearted soldier, who – as I heard to my infinite regret, shared by every one who knew his kindly, honest, genial nature – fell a victim to the maliferous climate of China! …”

From: From: My Diary in India,  In the Year 1858-9,
By William Howard Russell, Volume I, 1860
Cowasjee’s Shop

ETYMOLOGY
from malady (ill health, sickness, disease) + -ous;
or from French maladieux

EXAMPLE
“… Fro that tyme forth my sone began
To werke myracle gloriouse
He kyst oute feendis of many a man
Dume defe blynd lame all maladiouse
He made hem hole that to hym wan
And taught hem to be vertuouse
Vnto the temple went he than
Droue oute marchaunts of godds house …”

From: De Arte Lacrimandi (Harley MS.), a1450
Edited by Robert Max Garrett, 1909

ETYMOLOGY
from Latin morbus (disease) + -ulent

EXAMPLE
“… they should apply such medicines as are suitable, and in such a Proportion as is most proper to assist Nature in the Discharging of the Malignant and Morbulent Matter; but never to clog and hinder its Motions by too many and useless doses. …”

From: The History of the Works of the Learned,
Or, An Impartial Account of Books Lately Printed in all parts of Europe.
Done by Several Hands, Volume VI
The Works of the Learned, for February 1704

ETYMOLOGY
back formation from manqueller (a murderer), from man + queller (a person or thing who subdues someone or something)

EXAMPLE
“… At which wordes kyng Edward sayd nothyng, but with his hād thrust hym from hym (or as some say, stroke him with his gauntlet) whom incontinent, they that stode about, whiche were George duke of Clarence Rychard duke of Gloucester, Thomas Marques Dorset, and Williā lord Hastynges, sodaynly murthered, & pitiously manquelled. The bit ternesse of which murder, some of the actors, after in their latter dayes tested and assayed by the very rod of Iustice and punishment of God. …”

From: The vnion of the two Noble and Illustre Famelies of Lancastre [and] Yorke
By Edward Hall, 1548

ETYMOLOGY
from make (to produce by action, bring about) + sport (activity involving physical exertion and skill)

EXAMPLE (for adj.)
“… Graunt that this present Tyrian with Troian asemblye
May breede good fortune to our freends and kynred heer after.
Let make sport Bacchus, with good ladye Iuno, be present.
And ye, my freend Tyrians, thee Troian coompanye frollick
Thus sayd, with sipping in vessel nycelye she dipped. …”

From: Thee first foure bookes of Virgil his Aeneis
Translated by Richard Stanyhurst, 1582

ETYMOLOGY
from most (greatest in size, bulk, etc.) + what (pronoun); probably after somewhat (adv.)

EXAMPLE (for adv. 2.)
“…  The parentes and freindes with whom I haue to deale, be mostwhat no latinistes: and if they were, yet we vnderstand that tounge best, whervnto we are first borne, as our first impression is alwaie in English, before we do deliuer it in Latin. …”

From: Positions vvherin those primitiue circumstances be examined, which are necessarie for the training vp of children, either for skill in their booke, or health in their bodie,
By Richard Mulcaster, 1581