< V > TOEFL Vocabulary (145)

Median (noun) 

something, as a type, number, quantity, or degree, that represents a midpoint between 

extremes on a scale of valuation 

Stated more precisely, the median is a number that neither exceeds nor is exceeded by

more than half of the observations.  

Meditation (noun) 

the act or process of thinking

Don Quixote is an Aristotelian meditation on the nature of literature and the role of the

writer in society.

Menace (noun) 

regarded as a danger to someone or something

Causing many respiratory illnesses, automobile exhaust is a menace to human health.

Menstrual (adjective) 

process of ovulation and menstruation in female primates

An anorexic girl weighs at least 15 percent less than her ideal weight, has an extreme fear

of gaining weight, and has missed at least three consecutive menstrual periods.

Merely (adverb) 

and nothing else or nothing more

Bats' wings are modifications of the hands of the common mammalian ancestor; flying

squirrels' wings are modifications of its rib cage. The two structures are merely

analogous: similar in function.

Merry-making (noun) 

the act of showing happy satisfaction in an event; joyful, exuberant activity

Meanwhile, at the Union camp at Shiloh, the Federal troops spent a day drilling and

merry-making. Hundreds went for a swim in Owl Creek. Others rested.

Metabolize (verb) 

to change a substance, i.e., food, and its chemical nature so that it can be used for another 

purpose 

When Starch is digested, our body hydrolyzes it to glucose. The glucose is then

metabolized and used for energy.

Metallic (adjective) 

consisting or characteristic of metal; having the sheen or luster of metals

To make the appearance of his automobile more attractive, the owner had his car painted

a metallic green.

Meticulous (adjective) 

showing or marked by attentiveness to all aspects or details

Professor Brown, known for meticulous attention to detail, gives exams consisting of

more than 250 questions.

Metropolis (noun) 

a large and important town

The world’s lead city-states are its greatest metropolises – New York, Tokyo, Paris,

Hong Kong, Los Angeles and their global "command and control" competitors, spread

from Chicago to Singapore.