M
- macher (מאַכער) – lit. "doer, someone who does things", big shot, important person (e.g. within an organization) (German Macher = maker) "Now that Golde is the president, she acts like such a big macher."
- mama-loshen – one's first or native language, from Yiddish mama (mother) plus Hebrew lashon, tongue or language.
- mamish – really, very (an expression of emphasis)From the Hebrew "mamash" = substantially, "mamashut" = substance.
- mamzer – bastard, literally or figuratively (from Hebrew ממזר, meaning the child of a married woman where the biological father is not the married woman's husband (slightly more restrictive than the English word illegitimate)
- maven – expert (from Yiddish מבֿין meyvn, from Hebrew mevin 'one who understands')
- maydl- Girl, young woman, from Austrian Maedel. "That's a shayne (pretty) Maydl.
- mazel (from Hebrew מזל mazal) – luck (literally, constellation of stars)
- mazel tov! (מזל־טובֿ! mazl tof) – congratulations! (literally, 'good constellation' from Hebrew, meaning, May you be born under a good star, or at a good time. When you tell someone Mazel Tov, it is customary to shake hands.) Literally, good luck.
- mechaye - a source of pleasure (from the Hebrew חיים "chayim", meaning "life")
- mechutanista(f) / mechutan(m)/ mechutanim(pl) – kinship term for your child's female or male parent-in-law (Yid., from Hebrew מחותן/מחותנת).
- mega – (from Borscht Belt Yiddish). Grandmother.
- megillah – a lengthy document or discourse (from Yiddish מגילה megile, from Hebrew 'scroll'). Production: What are you making, a megillah?
- mensch – an upright man or woman; a gentleman; a decent human being (from Yiddish מענטש mentsh 'person' and German Mensch: human being) the generic term for a virtuous man or person; one with honesty, integrity, loyalty, firmness of purpose – a fundamental sense of decency and respect for other people (from German Mensch, meaning human being)
- meshuga / meshugge / meshugah / meshuggah (משוגען meşugn) : crazy (from Yiddish meshuge, from Hebrew meshugah, insane)
- meshuggener – a crazy person (from Yiddish meshugener)
- meshugaas – nonsense (lit. "crazy talk")
- minyan – the quorum of ten adult (i.e., 13 or older) Jews (among the Orthodox, males) who are necessary for the holding of a public worship service
- mishegoss – a crazy, mixed up, insane situation; irrationality (from Yiddish meshugas, from meshuge 'crazy')
- mishpocha – family (from Hebrew משפּחה mishpachah)
- mitzve – good deed (from Hebrew mitzvah, a religious duty incumbent upon a Jew)
- mohel – a professional religious circumciser (from Hebrew מוהל)
Read more about this topic: Verklempt