Glossary
Terms starting with M
330 definitions · page 1 of 6.
- M100
- 100 percent (neat) methanol used as a motor fuel in dedicated methanol vehicles, such as some heavy-duty truck engines.
- M85
- a blend of 85 percent methanol and 15 percent unleaded regular gasoline, used as a motor fuel.
- MAC
- Media Access Control. A network protocol used to control the access to the network by different devices.
- MAC Address
- Media Access Control address (also hardware or physical address). Every device on the Local Area Network has an unique MAC address. It is used to identify devices and to control access to the network using MAC protocol.
- Macadamia
- A relatively expensive nut that 's native to Australia but is now grown commercially in Hawaii and California, particularly for the American market where they're widely used in cookies, ice cream and cakes. The shell is incredibly hard to crack, but inside…
- Macaroon
- A small light biscuit, crunchy outside and soft inside, made with ground almonds, sugar and egg whites. Macaroons are sometimes flavoured with additional ingredients such as coffee, chocolate, nuts or fruit. They're particularly good made with freshly ground…
- Mace
- This is the lacy outer layer (or 'aril') that covers the nutmeg, a nut-like seed of the nutmeg tree. Mace is sold either in blades or ground. It adds a mild nutmeg flavour to soups and sauces as well as sausages, pâtés and fish dishes.
- Machine Readable Passport
- Has biographic information entered on the data page according to international specifications. The size of the passport and photograph, and arrangement of data fields, especially the two lines of printed OCR-B machine readable data, meet the standards of the…
- Machine Readable Visa
- A visa that immigration officers read with special machines when the applicants enter the United States. It gives biographic information about the passport holder and tells the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) information on the type of visa. It is also…
- Mackerel
- A firm-fleshed, oil-rich fish with a torpedo-like shape and beautiful silvery-blue skin. It's delicious and nutritious - packed with omega-3 fatty acids. Fresh mackerel is usually sold whole with or without the head on. It can be grilled, fried, barbecued or…
- Macrobiotics
- The study of prolonging life with diet or other ingested substances.
- macromolecule
- A large polymer such as DNA, RNA, protein, lipid or polysaccharide.
- Madeira
- Madeira is a fortified wine that comes from the island of the same name. Different grape varieties are used to make the four types (Sercial, Verdelho, Bual and Malmsey), which range from dry to sweet. It can be served chilled and drunk as an aperitif, but is…
- Madeleines
- Buttery French sponge cakes traditionally baked in scallop-shaped Madeleine moulds. They're made with sugar, flour, melted butter and eggs, often flavoured with lemon or almonds. The English version is often baked in dariole moulds and topped with jam…
- madrigal
- A vocal form that arose in Italy during the sixteenth century and developed into the most ambitious secular form of the Renaissance.
- madrigalism
- An alternate term for wordpainting, reflecting the frequent use of word painting in the Renaissance madrigal.
- MAGMA
- The molten rock and elements that lie below the earthós crust. The heat energy can approach 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit and is generated directly from a shallow molten magma resource and stored in adjacent rock structures. To extract energy from magma resources…
- MAGNETO HYDRO DYNAMICS (MHD)
- A means of producing electricity directly by moving liquids or gases through a magnetic field.
- magnetograph
- an instrument that maps the strength, distribution, and direction of magnetic fields on the sun's disk
- magnetometer
- an instrument used to measure the strength and direction of a magnetic field
- magnetopause
- the boundary between Earth's magnetic field and the solar wind
- magnetosphere
- the dynamic region around a planet where the magnetic field traps and controls the movement of charged particles from the solar wind
- magnitude
- the measurement of an object's brightness; the lower the number, the brighter the object
- Mailing List
- A way of having a group discussion with list subscribers by email. Emails are sent to all list subscribers. Popular mailing list programs, like Listserv and Majordomo, allow for automated subscription and un-subscription from a mailing list. Some hosting…
- maillot
- A woman's one-piece bathing suit.
- Mailserver
- The Internet host (together with the appropriate software) that is used to send, receive and forward email messages.
- main sequence
- the band of stars on a Hertzsprung-Russell diagram stretching from the upper left to the lower right; stars spend most of their lives in the main sequence phase, in which they are fusing hydrogen into helium in their cores
- Main Speakers (MAINS)
- The left/right speaker pair that flanks the TV screen. They reproduce much of the program's music tracks, special effects and sounds that should come from the left or right of the TV.
- Mainframe Computer
- A powerful computer used for computing-intensive tasks.
- Maintain status
- To follow the requirements of the visa status and comply with any limitations on duration of stay.
- major histocompatibility complex (MHC)
- A group of highly polymorphic genes whose products appear on the surface of cells imparting the property of self (belonging to that organism). A genetic region found in all mammals whose products are primarily responsible for the rapid rejection of tissue…
- major mode
- One of two colorings applied to a key, characterized by the major scale and the resulting predominance of major triads. Generally sounds bright and stable.
- MAJOR NATURAL GAS PRODUCER
- any person who produces natural gas in amounts determined by the commission as having a major effect on energy supplies. MAJOR MARKETER -- any person who sells natural gas or oil in amounts determined by the commission as having a major effect on energy…
- major scale
- A pattern of seven (ascending) notes, five separated by whole steps, with half steps between the third and fourth and the seventh and eighth degrees.
- major seventh
- A highly dissonant interval a half step smaller than an octave.
- major third
- An interval consisting of four half steps-, a major third forms the bottom interval of a major triad.
- major triad
- A triad consisting of a major third plus a minor third bounded by a perfect fifth.
- Maksutov telescope
- a catadioptric telescope that uses a deeply curved meniscus lens as the correcting plate
- Mala Fide
- False, in bad faith.
- Maldon sea salt
- An exceptional sea salt that comes from the Maldon area of Essex. Sea salt is produced as the sea washes over rocks and then recedes with the tide, leaving pools of water. The sun evaporates the water and leaves the salt in the form of crystals that can be…
- Malic Acid
- A glycolic acid derived from apples.
- Mallow
- An anti-inflammatory substance that helps prevent age lines and reduce eye swelling.
- MALPRACTICE INSURANCE
- Professional liability coverage for physicians, lawyers, and other specialists against suits alleging negligence or errors and omissions that have harmed clients.
- MANAGED CARE
- Arrangement between an employer or insurer and selected providers to provide comprehensive health care at a discount to members of the insured group and coordinate the financing and delivery of health care. Managed care uses medical protocols and procedures…
- Manchego
- One of Spain's best-known cheeses, made from ewes' milk. It originated in La Mancha but is now made all over the UK. It's sold fresh or slightly aged in olive oil, and has a deep yellow rind and creamy white interior. It's firm to the touch with a buttery…
- mandarin collar
- A short, stand-up collar, adopted from the close-fitting Asian collar.
- Mangosteen
- A tropical fruit from South-east Asia, the mangosteen is the size of a small peach with a leathery skin which, when peeled away, reveals five sweetly scented white segments which have a very delicate taste and melt in the mouth. Eat as it is or add a few to…
- mantle
- the portion of a planet’s interior above the core but below the crust
- MANUAL
- A book published by an insurance or bonding company or a rating association or bureau that gives rates, classifications, and underwriting rules.
- Manual submission
- adding a URL to the search engines individually by hand.
- Manx
- Tailless phenotype in cats, caused by an autosomal dominant mutation that is lethal when homozygous.
- map unit (m.u.)
- The distance between two linked gene pairs where 1 percent of the products of meiosis are recombinant. A unit of distance in a linkage map. The distance equal to 1% recombination between two loci.
- Maple syrup
- The boiled-down sap of the maple tree, this syrup is very popular in the US and Canada. It's expensive because of the low yield from the sap (40 gallons of sap are needed for one gallon of syrup!) but the cheaper imitations labelled 'maple-flavoured syrup'…
- mapping
- The study of the position of genes on chromosomes.
- mapping function
- The mathematical relationship between measured map distance and actual recombination frequency. A formula expressing the relationship between distance in a linkage map and recombinant frequency.
- march
- A military style (or piece) characterized by strongly accented duple meter and clear sectional structures.
- mare
- a dark and relatively smooth area on the surface of the moon or a planet.
- Marengo
- A chicken or veal dish made with cognac or white wine, tomatoes, eggs, crayfish, garlic, olive oil and bread. Chicken Marengo is said to have been created by Napoleon's chef Dunand, who was ordered to create a meal for Napoleon while he was on the…
- Marfan s syndrome
- A human disorder of the connective tissue expressed as a range of symptoms, including very long limbs and digits, and heart defects; inherited as an autosomal dominant phenotype. Mutations in a gene called fibrillin.
- Margarine
- Margarine was invented in the 1860s by a French chemist as a cheap replacement for butter. Nowadays it's bought as a product in its own right, frequently in the belief that it's a healthier option than butter. All margarine contains as much fat as butter…