Madeleine. The church at Paris dedicated to Mary Magdalen or Mary of Magdala.
Maddox Street. After the name of the builder upon the land in 1720.
Madras. From the Arabic Madrasa, “university.” Originally Madrasa Pattan, the name expressed “University town.” Pattan is Sanscrit for town.
Madrid. In the tenth century this was simply a Moorish fortified outpost of Toledo, as expressed by its Arabic name, Majerit.
Maelstrom. Expresses the Norwegian for an eddy or whirlpool; literally “whirling stream.”
Maffiking. A word used to denote the madness which may seize upon an entire community on an occasion of great public rejoicing, as happened when news of the relief of Mafeking, during the South African War, reached England. Staid citizens--bankers, stockbrokers, and others--assembled in front of the Mansion House, cheering wildly, and losing all control over themselves to such a degree that they threw their hats high in the air. For the remainder of that day and far into the night all London went mad with joy.
Magazine. From the Arabic Makhzan, a depository for stores. In a literary sense this originally expressed a periodical whose contents were made up of elegant extracts from the best authors.
Magdalen Hospital. The old name of a penitentiary for fallen women, so called after Mary Magdalen. The French form of this name is Madeleine.
Magdalen Smith. The famous Dutch portrait painter, Gaspar Smitz, is usually known by this name on account of his many “Magdalens,” in which he excelled.
Magdeburg. German for “town on the plain.”