英语词源字典 - 在线词源网站

mews (n.)[mews 词源字典]: "stables grouped around an open yard," 1630s, from Mewes, name of the royal stables at Charing Cross, built 1534 on the site of the former royal mews (attested from late 14c.), where the king's hawks were kept (see mew (n.2)). Extended by 1805 to "street of former stables converted to human habitations."[mews etymology, mews origin, 英语词源]
Mexican: c. 1600 (n.); by 1640s (adj.), from Mexico + -an.
Mexico: from Spanish, from Nahuatl (Aztecan) mexihco, the name of the ancient Aztec capital.
The etymology of this is opaque. Because of the difference in vowel length, it cannot be derived from ME-TL 'maguey.' The sequence XIH also differs in vowel length from XIC-TLI 'navel,' which has been proposed as a component element. The final element is locative -C(O). [Kartunnen]
mezuzah (n.): 1640s, from Hebrew, literally "doorpost."
mezzanine (n.): 1711, "a low story between two tall ones in a building," from French mezzanine (17c.), from Italian mezzanino, from mezzano "middle," from Latin medianus "of the middle," from medius (see medial (adj.)). Sense of "lowest balcony in a theater" first recorded 1927.
mezzo (adj.): "half, moderate," Italian mezzo, literally "middle," from Latin medius (see medial (adj.)). Also used in combinations such as mezzo-soprano (1753) and mezzotint (1738).
mezzo-soprano (n.): 1753; see mezzo + soprano.
mezzotint (n.): 1738; see mezzo + tint. As a verb, from 1827.
MGM: abbreviation of Metro Goldwyn-Mayer, attested from 1933.
MI5: 1939, from abbreviation of Military Intelligence, followed by the department number.
MIA: also m.i.a., initialism (acronym) of missing in action, attested from 1919 (see missing).
Miami: place name in U.S.; the one in Florida is of unknown origin, attested in Spanish as Maymi (1566), Mayaimi (1575). The one in Ohio is from the Miami, native people there, attested from 18c., apparently from a native word /myaamiwa "downstream person."
miasma (n.): 1660s, from Modern Latin miasma "noxious vapors," from Greek miasma (genitive miasmatos) "stain, pollution, defilement, taint of guilt," from stem of miainein "to pollute," from possible PIE root *mai- "to stain, soil, defile" (source of Old English mal "stain, mark," see mole (n.1)). Earlier form was miasm (1640s), from French miasme. Related: Miasmatic; miasmal.
mic (n.): shortened form of microphone, first attested 1961.
mica (n.): 1706, from specialized use of Latin mica "crumb, bit, morsel, grain," originally *smika (form probably influenced by Latin micare "to flash, glitter"), from PIE *smik- "small" (cognates: Greek smikros, Attic mikros "small;" Old High German smahi "littleness"). Related: Micaceous "containing mica."
micacious (adj.): "sparkling," 1836, from Late Latin micare "to shine, sparkle, flash, glitter."
Micah: masc. proper name, sixth of the Old Testament prophets, from Hebrew Mikhah, short for Mikhayah, literally "who is like the Lord?" First element identical to that in Michael, for second element, see Jah.
Micawber (n.): as a type of a childishly impractical man living in optimistic fantasy, from the character of Wilkins Micawber in Dickens' "David Copperfield" (1850).
"I am at present, my dear Copperfield, engaged in the sale of corn upon commission. It is not an avocation of a remunerative description -- in other words it does not pay -- and some temporary embarrassments of a pecuniary nature have been the consequence. I am however delighted to add that I have now an immediate prospect of something turning up ...."
mice (n.): plural of mouse (n.); Old English mys, shows effects of i-mutation.
A cube of cheese no larger than a die
May bait the trap to catch a nibbling mie.
[Bierce]
Michael: masc. proper name, name of an archangel, from Late Latin Michael (source of French Michel, Spanish Miguel), from Greek Mikhael, from Hebrew Mikha-el, literally "Who is like God?"