List of words having different meanings in American and British English (M–Z)
Word British English meanings Meanings common to British and American English American English meanings
mac raincoat ( short form of Mackintosh ) ( Mac ) brand of Apple Inc. computers ( short form of Macintosh ) ( Uncommon slang ; proper n. ) A term of informal address used with male strangers ; generally implies more unfriendliness or disapproval than the more neutral 'pal ' or 'buddy ' : Get your car out of my way , Mac ! UK generally 'mate ' . Cf . 'Jack . ' type of pasta ( short form of macaroni ) - as in 'mac and cheese '
Mackintosh , Macintosh , or McIntosh raincoat ( Mackintosh , often shortened to mac ) Macintosh , brand of Apple Inc. computers ( often shortened to Mac ) ( wrongly ) McIntosh Red , a type of apple
mail ( used in Royal Mail , name of the British postal system ; cf . postal ) ( Scot . ) a payment ( tax , rent , etc . ) ( Scot . ) a travelling bag or pack ( n. ) postal system of a nation letters , packages , etc . sent by post ; as delivered to individual , orig . US , UK often post ( n. & v. ) e-mail , ( n. ) armour , as in chainmail ( v. ) send a letter ( UK : post or send ) ; noun originated mail carrier & mailman ( UK : postman ) , mailbox ( UK : postbox ; letter box ) , mail slot , mail drop , etc
mailbox file for storing electronic mail ( or related computing or voicemail usage ) item of street furniture serving as a receptacle for outgoing mail ( UK : post box ; letter box ; pillar box ) ; a receptacle for incoming paper mail ( UK : letter box )
main line major railway line ( as the West Coast Main Line ) ; compare trunk major vein ( as for drug injection purposes ) ( orig . 1930s US slang ) ; also used as a v. ; main line stars railroad 's primary track , or a primary artery , route , road , or connection Pennsylvania Main Line mainline Protestant churches
mains domestic power supply water mains , the principal underground pipe for conveying water to residential and business properties
major ( in the past , in English public schools ) used to denote the eldest of two or more pupils with the same surname ( Bloggs major ) ( US : Sr . ) important or significant ( n. ) rank between captain and Lieutenant Colonel in the army and marines ( n. ) a college/university student 's main field of specialization ( his major is physics ) ; the student himself ( he is a physics major ) ; ( v. ) to pursue a major ( he majored in physics ) ( compare minor ; UK : compare read ) ( n. ) rank between captain and Lieutenant Colonel in the air force ( UK squadron leader ) and in some police agencies ( UK approx . superintendent )
majority ( politics ) the greatest number of votes difference of votes between first and second place ( US : plurality ) more than half of all votes , people , etc . ( UK : absolute majority )
make out to draw up , to seek to make it appear , to fabricate a story to see with difficulty ; to understand the meaning of to kiss ( see Making out ) to succeed or profit ( She made out well on that deal . ) *
marinara sauce sauce containing seafood , usu . in a tomato base red sauce containing tomatoes and herbs , often with meat but never with seafood ( UK : napolitana sauce )
marquee large , open-sided tent installed outdoors for temporary functions * signage placed over the entrance to a hotel , theatre , or cinema ( attrib . ) the ability ( of a show ) to draw audience , box office ( marquee value ) a prominent celebrity or athlete ( marquee player )
mate friend ( US : pal or friend ) informal term of address ( hello mate ) animal 's sexual partner checkmate , the winning of a game of chess an officer on a merchant ship spouse or partner
mean ( adj . ) stingy , miserly , selfish of inferior quality , contemptible a statistical average ( see mean ) unpleasant , unkind , vicious *
median statistical average ( see median ) geometric median median nerve portion of a divided highway used to separate opposing traffic ( UK central reservation )
meet with to face ( as a situation ) , experience ( If you can meet with triumph and disaster , and treat those two impostors just the same - Kipling ) ; to encounter for the first time ( How I Met Your Mother ) to have a meeting with ( as people ) ( Vice president meets with Iraqi officials , CNN ) * ( UK generally meet ( transitive ) or meet up with )
mezzanine intermediate floor between main floors of a building lowest balcony in a theatre , or the first few rows of seats thereof ( UK usu . dress circle )
mid-Atlantic in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean , halfway between UK & US ; an English-speaking accent with features of both British and American speakers region of the U.S. that includes all or some of the states between New York and South Carolina ( exact definition of Mid-Atlantic States may vary )
middle class better off than 'working class ' , but not rich , i.e. , a narrower term than in the U.S. and often negative ordinary ; not rich although not destitute , generally a positive term
midway ( adv . ) in the centre of a line or period ( n. ) part of a fair in which there are games , rides , etc
military relating specifically to the British Army ( dated ) relating to armed forces in general
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This is the list of words having different meanings in British and American English: M-Z. For the first portion of the list, see .