Commonly Misused or Misspelled Words Beginning With The Letter "M" #GrowYourVocab

Ten Words Beginning with the Letter "M" Commonly Misused, Confused or Misspelled. 

I'm back with another #GrowYourVocab post trying to clarify and demystify more words commonly misused, confused and misspelled. This post has been brought to you by the Letter "M".

Main vs. Mane: (usage) Main refers to the chief or largest part, or the most important or principal part of something, where as Mane refers to a long growth of hair on mammals such as horses, or on people.

Mall vs. Maul: (usage) Mall refers to "a large enclosed shopping complex, or a street lined with shops and closed to vehicles", where as Maul refers to a "type of hammer, a Rugby play, or to cause harm or treat roughly and injure or mutilate".

Maritime: (spelling) Related to, or adjacent to the sea. The term "The Maritimes" is used to refer specifically to Canada's eastern provinces as a collective or region. 

Maybe vs. May be: (usage) Maybe is "used to indicate uncertainty" possibly or perhaps. The rule seems to be if you can substitute perhaps then you use the single word maybe. May be is used to imply something is possible, could be or might be. If you can substitute could be then you use the the two words may be. 

Medieval: (spelling) It means "relating or belonging to the Middle Ages".

Mischievous: (spelling) It's meaning is "causing mischief, playful in a naughty or teasing way". 

Misspelled vs. Misspelt: (spelling/usage) To spell incorrectly. Spelled and spelt are interchangeable and are both correct spellings, with spelled being the American and spelt the British form. American usage sometimes regularizes the past principle of irregular verbs (e.g., pled/pleaded, dreamt//dreamed, shone/shined).

Momentary vs. Momentarily: (usage/meaning) Momentary means lasting for only a moment, or very brief" amount of time. Momentarily means "at any moment or very soon".

Moot vs. Mute: (usage) Moot means of no practical importance, or to render (a subject or issue) irrelevant". It can also mean "to bring up (a subject or issue) for discussion or debate. Mute means "refraining from producing speech or vocal sound, or not giving out sound or speech; silent". 

More vs. Mores: (usage/meaning) More means "greater number, size, amount, extent or degree". Mores refers to "accepted traditional customs of a particular social group" and "the customs and conventions embodying the fundamental values of a group". "Moral attitudes, manners and ways".  

Be sure to check out the Grow Your Vocab posts brought to you by other letters. 

Definitions via Free Dictionary.

Yep, just me Cathy thinking about the Letter M. 

Disclosure: I received no compensation for this post. The purpose of this post is merely to share with my readers information I think might be of interest to them.