my ['mī, mə] -adj
- of or relating to me or myself esp. as possessor, agent, object of an action, or familiar person
- used interjectionally to express surprise and sometimes reduplicated used also interjectionally with names of various parts of the body to express doubt or disapproval
- million years
my- -comb form
- muscle: muscle and
mya -abbr
- million years ago
my·al·gia [mī-'al-j(ē-)ə] -n, adj
- pain in one or more muscles
my·as·the·nia [,mī-əs-'thē-nē-ə] -n, adj or n
- muscular debility
- myasthenia gravis
myasthenia gra·vis [-'gra-vəs, -'grä-] -n
- a disease characterized by progressive weakness and exhaustibility of voluntary muscles without atrophy or sensory disturbance and caused by an autoimmune attack on acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction
myc- -comb form
- fungus
my·ce·li·um [mī-'sē-lē-əm] -n, adj
- the mass of interwoven filamentous hyphae that forms esp. the vegetative portion of the thallus of a fungus and is often submerged in another body (as of soil or organic matter or the tissues of a host)
- a similar mass of filaments formed by some bacteria (as streptomyces)
My·ce·nae·an [,mī-sə-'nē-ən] -adj, n
- of, relating to, or characteristic of Mycenae, its people, or the period (1400 to 1100 b.c.) of Mycenae's political ascendancy
- characteristic of the Bronze Age Mycenaean culture of the eastern Mediterranean area
my·ce·to·ma [,mī-sə-'tō-mə] -n, adj
- a condition marked by invasion of the deep subcutaneous tissues with fungi or actinomycetes
- a tumorous mass occurring in mycetoma
my·ce·to·zo·an [mī-,sē-tə-'zō-ən] -n, adj
- slime mold
my·co·bac·te·ri·um [,mī-kō-bak-'tir-ē-əm] -n, adj
- any of a genus ( Mycobacterium) of nonmotile aerobic acid-fast bacteria that include numerous saprophytes and the pathogens causing tuberculosis and leprosy
my·co·flo·ra [,mī-kə-'flȯr-ə] -n
- the fungi characteristic of a region or special environment
mycol -abbr
- mycology
my·col·o·gy [mī-'kä-lə-jē] -n, adj, adv
- a branch of biology dealing with fungi
- fungal life
my·coph·a·gist [mī-'kä-fə-jist] -n
- one that eats fungi (as mushrooms)
my·coph·a·gous [-gəs] -adj
- feeding on fungi
my·co·phile ['mī-kō-,fī(-ə)l] -n
- a devotee of mushrooms
- one whose hobby is hunting wild edible mushrooms
my·co·plas·ma [,mī-kō-'plaz-mə] -n, adj
- any of a genus ( Mycoplasmaof the family Mycoplasmataceae) of pleomorphic gram-negative chiefly nonmotile bacteria that lack a cell wall and are mostly parasitic usu. in mammals called also pleuropneumonia-like organism
mycoplasmalike organism -n
- phytoplasma
my·cor·rhi·za [,mī-kə-'rī-zə] -n, adj
- the symbiotic association of the mycelium of a fungus with the roots of a seed plant
my·co·sis [mī-'kō-səs] -n, adj
- infection with or disease caused by a fungus
my·co·tox·in [,mī-kə-'täk-sən] -n
- a toxic substance produced by a fungus and esp. a mold
my·dri·a·sis [mə-'drī-ə-səs] -n, adj or n
- excessive or prolonged dilatation of the pupil of the eye
myel- -comb form
- bone marrow : spinal cord
my·e·len·ceph·a·lon [,mī-ə-len-'se-fə-,län, -lən] -n, adj
- the posterior part of the developing vertebrate hindbrain or the corresponding part of the adult brain composed of the medulla oblongata
my·e·lin ['mī-ə-lən] -n, adj
- a soft white somewhat fatty material that forms a thick myelin sheath about the protoplasmic core of a myelinated nerve fiber
my·e·lin·at·ed ['mī-ə-lə-,nā-təd] -adj
- having a myelin sheath
myelin sheath -n
- a layer of myelin surrounding some nerve fibers called also medullary sheath
my·e·li·tis [,mī-ə-'lī-təs] -n
- inflammation of the spinal cord or of the bone marrow
my·e·lo·blast ['mī-ə-lə-,blast] -n, adj
- a large mononuclear nongranular bone-marrow cell
- one that is a precursor of a myelocyte
my·e·lo·cyte ['mī-ə-lə-,sīt] -n, adj
- a bone-marrow cell
- a motile cell with cytoplasmic granules that gives rise to the granulocytes of the blood and occurs abnormally in the circulating blood
my·e·lo·fi·bro·sis [,mī-ə-lō-fī-'brō-səs] -n, adj
- an anemic condition in which bone marrow becomes fibrotic and the liver and spleen usu. exhibit a development of blood-cell precursors
my·e·log·e·nous [,mī-ə-'lä-jə-nəs] -adj
- of, relating to, originating in, or produced by the bone marrow
myelogenous leukemia -n
- leukemia characterized by proliferation of myeloid tissue (as of the bone marrow and spleen) and an abnormal increase in the number of granulocytes, myelocytes, and myeloblasts in the circulating blood called also myelocytic leukemia myeloid leukemia
my·e·loid ['mī-ə-,lȯid] -adj
- of, relating to, or resembling bone marrow
my·e·lo·ma [,mī-ə-'lō-mə] -n, adj
- a primary tumor of the bone marrow
my·e·lop·a·thy [-'lä-pə-thē] -n, adj
- a disease or disorder of the spinal cord or bone marrow
my·e·lo·pro·lif·er·a·tive ['mī-ə-lō-prə-'li-f(ə-)rə-tiv, -fə-,rā-] -adj
- of, relating to, or being a disorder (as leukemia) marked by excessive proliferation of bone marrow elements and esp. blood cell precursors
my·ia·sis [mī-'ī-ə-səs, mē-] -n
- infestation with fly maggots
My·lar ['mī-,lär] -trademark
- used for a polyester film
my·nah ['mī-nə] -n
- any of various Asian starlings (esp. genera Acridotheres, Gracula,and Sturnus)
- a dark brown slightly crested bird ( A. tristis) of southeastern Asia with a white tail tip and wing markings and bright yellow bill and feet
myn·heer [mə-'ner] -n
- a male Netherlander used as a title equivalent to Mr.
myo·blast ['mī-ə-,blast] -n
- an undifferentiated cell capable of giving rise to muscle cells
myocardial infarction -n
- heart attack
myo·car·di·tis [,mī-ə-(,)kär-'dī-təs] -n
- inflammation of the myocardium
myo·car·di·um [,mī-ə-'kär-dē-əm] -n, adj
- the middle muscular layer of the heart wall
my·oc·lo·nus [,mī-'ä-klə-nəs] -n, adj
- irregular involuntary contraction of a muscle usu. resulting from functional disorder of controlling motor neurons
- a condition characterized by myoclonus
myo·elec·tric [,mī-ō-i-'lek-trik] -adj
- of, relating to, or utilizing electricity generated by muscle
myo·fi·bril [,mī-ə-'fī-brəl, -'fi-] -n, adj
- any of the longitudinal parallel contractile elements of a muscle cell that are composed of myosin and actin
myo·fil·a·ment [-'fi-lə-mənt] -n
- one of the individual filaments of actin or myosin that make up a myofibril
myo·gen·ic [-'je-nik] -adj
- taking place or functioning in ordered rhythmic fashion because of the inherent properties of cardiac muscle rather than specific neural stimuli
myo·glo·bin [-'glō-bən, 'mī-ə-,] -n
- a red iron-containing protein pigment in muscles that is similar to hemoglobin
myo·ino·si·tol [,mī-ō-i-'nō-sə-,tȯl, -,tōl] -n
- a biologically active inositol that is a component of many phospholipids and occurs widely in plants, animals, and microorganisms
my·ol·o·gy [mī-'ä-lə-jē] -n
- the scientific study of muscles
my·o·ma [mī-'ō-mə] -n, adj
- a tumor consisting of muscle tissue
myo·mec·to·my [,mī-ə-'mek-tə-mē] -n
- surgical removal of a myoma or fibroid
myo·neu·ral [,mī-ə-'nu̇r-əl, -'nyu̇r-] -adj
- of, relating to, or connecting muscles and nerves
my·op·a·thy [mī-'ä-pə-thē] -n, adj
- a disorder of muscle tissue or muscles
my·ope ['mī-,ōp] -n
- a myopic person
my·o·pia [mī-'ō-pē-ə] -n, adj, adv
- a condition in which the visual images come to a focus in front of the retina of the eye resulting esp. in defective vision of distant objects
- a lack of foresight or discernment : a narrow view of something
my·o·sin ['mī-ə-sən] -n
- a fibrous globulin of muscle that can split ATP and that reacts with actin in muscle contraction to form actomyosin
myosis [mī-'ō-səs, mē-] -n
(variant of miosis)
- excessive smallness or contraction of the pupil of the eye
myo·si·tis [,mī-ə-'sī-təs] -n
- soreness of voluntary muscle due to inflammation
myo·tome ['mī-ə-,tōm] -n
- the portion of an embryonic somite from which skeletal musculature is produced
myo·to·nia [,mī-ə-'tō-nē-ə] -n, adj
- tonic spasm of one or more muscles
- a condition characterized by such spasms
myotonic dystrophy -n
- a muscular disorder that is characterized by dystrophic muscle weakness and myotonia affecting multiple bodily systems and that is caused by an abnormally high number of repeats of a codon in the genetic material
Myr -abbr
- million years
myr·i·ad ['mir-ē-əd] -n
- ten thousand
- a great number
myriad -adj
- innumerable
- both numerous and diverse
- having innumerable aspects or elements
- the myriad activity of the new land -- Meridel Le Sueur
myr·ia·pod ['mir-ē-ə-,päd] -n, adj
- any of a group (Myriapoda) of arthropods having the body made up of numerous similar segments nearly all of which bear true jointed legs and including the millipedes and centipedes
my·ris·tic acid [mə-'ris-tik-, mī-] -n
- a crystalline fatty acid C 14H 28O 2occurring esp. in the form of glycerides in most fats
myrmeco- -comb form
- ant
myr·me·col·o·gy [,mər-mə-'kä-lə-jē] -n, adj
- the scientific study of ants
myr·me·co·phile ['mər-mi-kə-,fī(-ə)l] -n
- an organism that habitually shares an ant nest
myr·me·coph·i·lous [,mər-mə-'kä-fə-ləs] -adj
- fond of, associated with, or benefited by ants
myr·mi·don ['mər-mə-,dän, -dən] -n
- a member of a legendary Thessalian people who accompanied their king Achilles in the Trojan War
- a loyal follower
- a subordinate who executes orders unquestioningly or unscrupulously
myrrh ['mər] -n
- a yellowish-brown to reddish-brown aromatic gum resin with a bitter slightly pungent taste obtained from a tree (esp. Commiphora abyssinicaof the family Burseraceae) of eastern Africa and Arabia
- a mixture of myrrh and labdanum
myr·tle ['mər-tᵊl] -n
- a common evergreen bushy shrub ( Myrtus communisof the family Myrtaceae, the myrtle family) of southern Europe with oval to lance-shaped shiny leaves, fragrant white or rosy flowers, and black berries
- any of the chiefly tropical shrubs or trees comprising the myrtle family
- periwinkle
- california laurel
my·self [mī-'self, mə-, Southern also -'sef] -pron
- that identical one that is I used reflexively
- I'm going to get myself a new suit
, for emphasis , or in absolute constructions - myself a tourist, I nevertheless avoided other tourists
- my normal, healthy, or sane condition
- didn't feel myself yesterday
mys·ta·gogue ['mis-tə-,gäg] -n
- one who initiates another into a mystery cult
- one who understands or teaches mystical doctrines
mys·te·ri·ous [mis-'tir-ē-əs] -adj, adv, n
- of, relating to, or constituting mystery
- the mysterious ways of God
- exciting wonder, curiosity, or surprise while baffling efforts to comprehend or identify : mystifying
- stirred by or attracted to the inexplicable
mys·tery ['mis-t(ə-)rē] -n
- a religious truth that one can know only by revelation and cannot fully understand
- any of the 15 events (as the Nativity, the Crucifixion, or the Assumption) serving as a subject for meditation during the saying of the rosary
- a Christian sacrament
- eucharist
- a secret religious rite believed (as in Eleusinian and Mithraic cults) to impart enduring bliss to the initiate
- a cult devoted to such rites
- something not understood or beyond understanding : enigma
- a private secret
- the secret or specialized practices or ritual peculiar to an occupation or a body of people
- the mysteries of the tailor's craft
- a piece of fiction dealing usu. with the solution of a mysterious crime
- profound, inexplicable, or secretive quality or character
mystery -n
- trade, craft
- a body of persons engaged in a particular trade, business, or profession : guild
- mystery play
mystery play -n
- a medieval drama based on scriptural incidents (as the creation of the world, the Flood, or the life, death, and resurrection of Christ)
mys·tic ['mis-tik] -adj
- mystical
- of or relating to mysteries or esoteric rites : occult
- of or relating to mysticism or mystics
- mysterious
- obscure, enigmatic
- inducing a feeling of awe or wonder
- having magical properties
mystic -n
- a follower of a mystical way of life
- an advocate of a theory of mysticism
mys·ti·cal ['mis-ti-kəl] -adj, adv
- having a spiritual meaning or reality that is neither apparent to the senses nor obvious to the intelligence
- the mystical food of the sacrament
- involving or having the nature of an individual's direct subjective communion with God or ultimate reality
- the mystical experience of the Inner Light
- mysterious, unintelligible
- mystic
- mystic
mys·ti·cism ['mis-tə-,si-zəm] -n
- the experience of mystical union or direct communion with ultimate reality reported by mystics
- the belief that direct knowledge of God, spiritual truth, or ultimate reality can be attained through subjective experience (as intuition or insight)
- vague speculation : a belief without sound basis
- a theory postulating the possibility of direct and intuitive acquisition of ineffable knowledge or power
mys·ti·fi·ca·tion [,mis-tə-fə-'kā-shən] -n
- an act or instance of mystifying
- an obscuring esp. of capitalist or social dynamics (as by making them equivalent to natural laws) that is seen in Marxist thought as an impediment to critical consciousness
- the mystification of the sources of wealth -- Henry Staten
- the quality or state of being mystified
- something designed to mystify
mys·ti·fy ['mis-tə-,fī] -vt, n, adv
- to perplex the mind of : bewilder
- to make mysterious or obscure
- mystify an interpretation of a prophecy
mys·tique [mi-'stēk] -n
- an air or attitude of mystery and reverence developing around something or someone
- the special esoteric skill essential in a calling or activity
myth ['mith] -n
- a usu. traditional story of ostensibly historical events that serves to unfold part of the world view of a people or explain a practice, belief, or natural phenomenon
- parable, allegory
- a popular belief or tradition that has grown up around something or someone
- one embodying the ideals and institutions of a society or segment of society
- seduced by the American myth of individualism -- Orde Coombs
- an unfounded or false notion
- a person or thing having only an imaginary or unverifiable existence
- the whole body of myths
myth·i·cal ['mi-thi-kəl] -adj, adv
- based on or described in a myth esp. as contrasted with history
- existing only in the imagination : fictitious, imaginary
- constructed a mythical all-star team
- having qualities suitable to myth : legendary
- the twilight of a mythic professional career -- Clayton Riley
myth·i·cize ['mi-thə-,sīz] -vt, n
- to turn into or envelop in myth
- to treat as myth
myth·mak·er ['mith-,mā-kər] -n
- a creator of myths or of mythical situations or lore
my·thog·ra·phy [mi-'thä-grə-fē] -n
- the representation of mythical subjects in art
- a critical compilation of myths
myth·o·log·i·cal [,mi-thə-'lä-ji-kəl] -adj, adv
- of or relating to mythology or myths : dealt with in mythology
- lacking factual basis or historical validity : mythical, fabulous
my·thol·o·gize [mi-'thä-lə-,jīz] -vb, n
- to explain the mythological significance of
- to build a myth around : mythicize
- to relate, classify, and explain myths
- to create or perpetuate myths
my·thol·o·gy [mi-'thä-lə-jē] -n
- an allegorical narrative
- : a body of myths: as
- the myths dealing with the gods, demigods, and legendary heroes of a particular people
- mythos
- a branch of knowledge that deals with myth
- a popular belief or assumption that has grown up around someone or something : myth
- defective mythologies that ignore masculine depth of feeling -- Robert Bly
mytho·ma·nia [,mi-thə-'mā-nē-ə, -nyə] -n, n or adj
- an excessive or abnormal propensity for lying and exaggerating
mytho·poe·ia [,mi-thə-'pē-ə] -n, adj
- a creating of myth : a giving rise to myths
my·thos ['mi-,thōs, -,thäs] -n
- myth
- mythology
- a pattern of beliefs expressing often symbolically the characteristic or prevalent attitudes in a group or culture
- theme, plot
- the starving artist mythos
mythy ['mi-thē] -adj
- resembling, concerned with, or of a subject for myth
my word -interj
- used to express surprise or astonishment
myx·ede·ma [,mik-sə-'dē-mə] -n, adj
- severe hypothyroidism characterized by firm inelastic edema, dry skin and hair, and loss of mental and physical vigor
myx·o·ma [mik-'sō-mə] -n, adj
- a soft tumor made up of gelatinous connective tissue like that of the umbilical cord
myx·o·ma·to·sis [mik-,sō-mə-'tō-səs] -n
- a condition characterized by the presence of myxomas in the body
- a severe virus disease of rabbits that is caused by a poxvirus (species Myxoma virusof the genus Leporipoxvirus) and transmitted by mosquitoes, biting flies, and direct contact and that has been used in the biological control of rabbits esp. in Australia
myxo·my·cete [,mik-sō-'mī-,sēt, ,mik-sō-(,)mī-'] -n
- slime mold
myxo·vi·rus ['mik-sə-,vī-rəs] -n, adj
- any of a former family (Myxoviridae) of single-stranded RNA viruses that included the orthomyxoviruses and the paramyxoviruses