Online Etymology Dictionary

matrimony: c.1300, from O.Fr. matremoine, from L. matrimonium "wedlock, marriage," from matrem (nom. mater) "mother" + -monium, suffix signifying "action, state, condition." Related: Matrimonial.
matrix: 1373, from O.Fr. matrice, from L. matrix (gen. matricis) "pregnant animal," in L.L. "womb," also "source, origin," from mater (gen. matris) "mother." Sense of "place or medium where something is developed" is first recorded 1555; sense of "embedding or enclosing mass" first recorded 1641. Logical sense of "array of possible combinations of truth-values" is attested from 1914.
matron: late 14c., "married woman" (usually one of rank), from O.Fr. matrone, from L. matrona "married woman," from mater (gen. matris) "mother." Sense of "female manager of school, hospital, etc." first recorded 1550s.
matronly: 1580s (adv.), 1650s (adj.), from matron.
matte (adj.): 1648, "lusterless," from Fr. mat "dull, dead surface," from O.Fr. mat "beaten down, withered," probably from L. mattus "maudlin with drink," from madere "to be wet or sodden, be drunk," from PIE base *mad- "to be wet, drip" (see mastectomy). Noun sense "backing for a picture" is an 1845 borrowing from Fr.
matted: "tangled and lying flat" (of hair, etc.), 1610s, pp. adj. from mat.
matter: c.1300, "material of thought, speech, or expression," from Anglo-Norm. matere, from L. materia "substance from which something is made," also "hard inner wood of a tree" (cf. Port. madeira "wood"), perhaps from mater "origin, source, mother." Or, on another theory, it represents *dmateria, from PIE root *dem-/*dom- (cf. L. domus "house," Eng. timber). With sense development influenced by Gk. hyle, of which it was the equivalent in philosophy. Meaning "substance of which physical objects are made" is attested from mid-14c. That of "grounds, reason, or cause for something" also is first recorded mid-14c. The verb meaning "to be of importance or consequence" is from 1580s. What is the matter "what concerns (someone)" is attested from mid-15c.
matter-of-fact: also matter of fact, 1570s, originally a legal term (translating L. res facti), "that portion of an enquiry concerned with the truth or falsehood of alleged facts," opposed to matter of law. Meaning "prosaic, unimaginative" is from 1787.
Matthew: masc. proper name, introduced in England by the Normans, from O.Fr. Mathieu, from L.L. Matthaeus, from Gk. Matthaios, contraction of Mattathias, from Heb. Mattathyah "gift of Jehovah," from mattath "gift." Variant Matthias is from the Gk. version.
mattock: O.E. mættoc, probably from V.L. *matteuca "club," related to L. mateola, a kind of mallet (see mace (1)), but this is not certain, and synonymous Rus. motyka, Lith. matikkas suggest other possibilities.
mattress: late 13c., from O.Fr. materas, from It. materasso, from M.L. matracium, borrowed in Sicily from Arabic al-matrah "the cushion" (cf. Sp. almadraque "mattress"), lit. "the thing thrown down," from taraha "he threw (down)."
maturate: 1540s, from L. maturat-, pp. stem of maturare (see mature).
maturation: 1540s, from Fr. maturation, from L. maturationem, noun of action from maturare (see mature).
mature (v.): late 14c., from L. maturare "to ripen," from maturus "ripe, timely, early," related to manus "good" and mane "early, of the morning" (see mañana). The financial sense of "reach the time for payment" is from 1861. The adj. is first recorded mid-15c., from the noun. Related: Matured; maturing.
maturity: late 14c., from L. maturitatem (nom. maturitas) "ripeness," from maturus "ripe" (see mature).
matutinal: 1650s, from L. matutinalis, from matutinus, from Matuta, Roman goddess of dawn, related to maturus “early” (see mature).
matzoh: also matzo, flat piece of unleavened bread eaten by Jews during the Passover, 1846, from Heb. matztzah (pl. matztzoth) "unleavened bread," lit. "juiceless," from stem of matzatz "he sucked out, drained out."
Maud: fem. proper name, from O.Fr. Mahaut, from Gmc. (cf. O.H.G. Mahthilda; see Matilda).
maudlin: 1607, "tearful," from M.E. proper name Maudelen (c.1320), from Magdalene (O.Fr. Madelaine), woman's name, originally surname of Mary, the repentant sinner forgiven by Jesus in Luke vii.37 (see Magdalene). In paintings, she was often shown weeping as a sign of repentance. Meaning "characterized by tearful sentimentality" is recorded from c.1631.
maul (v.): mid-13c., meallen "strike with a heavy weapon," from M.E. mealle (mid-13c.) "mace, wooden club, heavy hammer," from O.Fr. mail (see mallet). The meaning "damage seriously, shatter, mangle" is first recorded 1690s. Related: Mauled; mauling.
maulstick: "light stick used by painters to support the painting hand," 1650s, from Du. maalstok, from mallen "to paint" + stock "stick."
maunder: "to wander about aimlessly," c.1746, earlier "to mumble, grumble" (1620s), both senses probably from freq. of maund "to beg" (1560s), from Fr. mendier "to beg," from L. mendicare (see mendicant). Related: Maundered; maundering.
Maundy Thursday: 1440, from M.E. maunde "the Last Supper," also "ceremony of washing the feet," from O.Fr. mandé, from L. mandatum "commandment," in reference to the opening words of the church service for this day, Mandatum novum do vobis "A new commandment I give unto you" (John xiii.34), words supposedly spoken by Jesus to the Apostles after washing their feet at the Last Supper.
Mauser: 1880, Ger. army rifle, introduced 1871, invented by brothers Peter Paul (1838-1914) and Wilhelm (1834-82) Mauser.
mausoleum: 1546, from L. mausoleum "magnificent tomb," from Gk. Mausoleion, massive marble tomb built 353 B.C.E. at Halicarnassus (Gk. city in Asia Minor) for Mausolos, Persian satrap who made himself king of Caria. It was built by his wife (and sister), Artemisia. It was counted among the Seven Wonders of the ancient world. Destroyed by an earthquake in the Middle Ages. General sense of "any stately burial-place" is from 1600.
mauve: 1859, from Fr. mauve, from O.Fr. mauve "mallow," from L. malva "mallow;" the dye so called from the color of the mallow plant.
maven: 1965, from Yiddish meyvn, from Heb. mebhin, lit. "one who understands." Plural is mayvinim.
maverick: 1867, "calf or yearling found without an owner's brand," in allusion to Samuel A. Maverick (1803-1870), Texas cattle owner who was negligent in branding his calves. Sense of "individualist, unconventional person" is first recorded 1886, via notion of "masterless."
maw: O.E. maga "stomach" (of men and animals), from P.Gmc. *magon (cf. O.Fris. maga, O.N. mag, Du. maag, Ger. Magen "stomach"), perhaps cognate with Welsh megin "bellows," Lith. makas, O.C.S. mosina "bag, pouch."
mawkish: 1668, sickly, nauseated, from M.E. mawke "maggot" (see maggot). Sense of "sickly sentimental" is first recorded 1702.
max (v.): "to reach the maximum level," by 1986, colloquial, from maximize or related words.
maxi-: comb. form of from maximum.
maxilla: "jaw, jawbone," 1676, from L. maxilla "upper jaw," dim. of mala "jaw, cheekbone."
maxillary: 1620s, from maxilla + -ary.
maxim: "precept, principle," 1426, from M.Fr. maxime, from L.L. maxima, usually in maxima propositio "axiom," lit. "greatest premise," fem. of maximus "greatest" (see maximum).
Maxim: single-barreled, water-cooled machine gun, 1885, named for inventor, U.S.-born British engineer Sir Hiram S. Maxim (1840-1916).
maximal: 1882, see maximum.
Maximilian: masc. proper name, from L. Maximus and Aemilianus, both proper names. According to Camden, Holy Roman Emperor Frederick III (1415-93) coined the name and gave it to his son in hopes the boy would grow up to have the virtues of Fabius Maximus and Scipio Aemilianus.
maximise: British spelling of maximize. For suffix, see -ize.
maximize: formed in English 1802 from maximum (q.v.); first attested in Bentham, who used it often.
maximum: 1740, from L. maximum, neut. of maximus "greatest," superl. of magnus "great, large" (see magnum).
may: O.E. mæg "I am able" (inf. magan, p.t. meahte, mihte), from P.Gmc. root *mag-, inf. *maganan (cf. O.Fris. muga, O.N. mega, Du. mogen, Ger. mögen, Goth. magan "to be able"), from PIE *mogh-/*megh- "power" (cf. Gk. mekhos, makhos "means, instrument," O.C.S. mogo "to be able," mosti "power, force," Skt. mahan "great"). Also related to might (q.v.).
May: 1110, from O.Fr. mai, from L. Majus, Maius mensis "month of May," possibly from Maja, Maia a Roman earth goddess (wife of Vulcan) whose name is possibly from PIE *mag-ya "she who is great," fem. suffixed form of base *meg- "great" (cognate with L. magnus). Replaced O.E. þrimilce, month in which cows can be milked three times a day. May marriage have been considered unlucky at least since Ovid's day. Mayflower (1626) was used locally for the cowslip, the lady's smock, and other plants that bloom in May. May apple attested from 1733.
May Day: "first of May," mid-15c.. Accounts of merrymaking on this date are attested from mid-13c. Synonymous with "communist procession" from at least 1906. The May Queen seems to be a Victorian re-invented tradition.
maybe: early 15c., from (it) may be. Still sometimes written as two words early 19c.
mayday: "distress call," 1927, from Fr. m'aider, shortening of venez m'aider "come help me!"
Mayfair: fashionable district of London, early 19c., built on Brook fields, where an annual May fair had been held 17c.
mayhap: 1530s, from phrase (it) may hap.
mayhem: 1472, from Anglo-Fr. maihem (13c.), from O.Fr. mahaigne "injury," related to mahaignier "to maim" (see maim). Originally, in law, the crime of maiming a person to make him less able to defend himself or annoy his adversary.
mayo: shortened form of mayonnaise, first attested c.1930.