M – Make WordPress Documentation

macOS

Operating system used on Apple Macintosh computers. Use lowercase for mac and uppercase for OS.

manipulate

Don’t use. Instead, use work with, handle, or use.

Markdown

Capitalize.

Don’t use a filename extension to refer to a type of file. For example, use Markdown file rather than .md file.

For more information, see Referring to file types.

marquee

OK to use when referring to the scrolling text feature or tag.

markup, mark up

One word as a noun. As a verb, use two words as in mark up. Don’t hyphenate in any form.

Avoid using whenever possible. Instead, replace master with a contextually relevant term such as primary, main, original, parent, initiator, driver, controller, manager, mixer, aggregator, publisher, leader, or active. Use primary/secondary, primary/subordinate, principal/agent or other relevant terms instead of master/slave.

For more information, see Replacing established terms.

mathematical

Use instead of mathematic.

matrix, matrices

Use the plural matrixes unless there is a domain-specific reason (for example, a mathematical context) to use matrices.

may

Avoid using in standard documentation; reserve may for official policy or legal considerations. To convey possibility, use might instead. To convey permission, use can instead.

maximize

Use to refer to making a window as big as possible without going full screen.

MB, megabyte

Initialism for megabyte. Use uppercase.

One MB equals 1000² bytes in the context of file size or storage capacity, and 1024² bytes in the context of computer memory.

In the noun form, insert a space between the numeral and the abbreviation. Use the preposition of before the unit.

Example

Recommended: 128 MB of storage

Don’t hyphenate the adjective form.

Example

Recommended: a 16 MB storage drive

For more information about spelling out abbreviations, see Abbreviations.

Mbit, megabit

Initialism for megabit.

One Mbit equals 1000² bits in the context of file size or storage capacity, and 1024² bits in the context of computer memory.

In the noun form, insert a space between the numeral and the abbreviation. Use the preposition of before the unit.

Example

Recommended: 10 MBit of memory

Don’t hyphenate the adjective form.

Example

Recommended: 10 MBit memory

For more information about spelling out abbreviations, see Abbreviations.

Mbps (Mbit/s), megabits per second

Initialism for megabits per second.

For more information, see Units of measurement.
For more information about spelling out abbreviations, see Abbreviations.

MBps (MB/s), megabytes per second

Initialism for megabytes per second.

For more information, see Units of measurement.
For more information about spelling out abbreviations, see Abbreviations.

media, medium

Use medium as a singular subject and media as a plural subject. Accordingly, use the correct verb form; the medium is and the media are.

However, when discussing audio, video, and images, you can use media as a singular subject to describe a collection of content such as a set of images.

mega-

In general, don’t hyphenate words beginning with mega- such as megabit, megabyte, megahertz, and megapixel, unless mega- is followed by a proper noun or it is absolutely necessary to avoid confusion.

For more information, see Hyphens.

For word usage of specific terms, see The American Heritage Dictionary.

memory

In most cases, refer to a specific kind of memory, such as random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), virtual memory, or portable storage devices.

In the noun forms that refer to memory measurements, use of in a prepositional phrase before the unit, such as 512 MB of RAM.

Don’t use memory to refer to storage capacity; instead, use a term such as storage space.

message

Don’t use as a verb. Instead, use send, receive, or a contextually relevant term.

OK to use as a noun. If required, you can also provide adjective to present further context, such as text message, email message, audio message or video message.

metadata

One word. Not meta data or meta-data.

method

In the context developer documentation or for a technical audience, where method refers to a member of a class, avoid also using method as a synonym for manner or approach.

MHz, megahertz

Initialism for megahertz.

In the noun form, insert a space between the numeral and the abbreviation. Use the preposition of before the unit.

Example

Recommended: a rate of 5.0 MHz

Don’t hyphenate the adjective form.

Example

Recommended: a 5.0 MHz rate

For more information about spelling out abbreviations, see Abbreviations.

micro-

In general, don’t hyphenate words beginning with micro- such as microprocessor, microservices, and microcomputer unless micro- is followed by a proper noun or it is absolutely necessary to avoid confusion.

For more information, see Hyphens.

For word usage of specific terms, see The American Heritage Dictionary.

Microsoft

OK to use. Capitalize.

midnight

OK to use, but not when paired with time in the numeral format.

Example

Not recommended: 12:00 midnight

For more information, see Dates and times.

migrate

Use to move databases, media, users, applications or code, from one server, environment or platform to another. Don’t use as a synonym for upgrade or port.

million, M

Don’t abbreviate million as M, m, or mn. Spell out the word or denote the entire number.

For more information, see Abbreviations in numbers.

MIME

Abbreviation for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension. Use uppercase.

For more information about spelling out abbreviations, see Abbreviations.

minimize

Use to refer to placing the window in the taskbar or dock.

ML

Abbreviation for machine learning. Use uppercase.

For more information about spelling out abbreviations, see Abbreviations.

mobile, mobile device, mobile phone

Use instead of cell phone.

mobile data

Use instead of cellular data.

mobile network

Use instead of cellular network.

monospace

One word. Not mono space or mono-space.

more than

Use to describe items or elements that are quantifiable such as amounts or figures.

Don’t use over.

mount

Use as a verb to describe the action of making a disk or disk image available.

OK to use in developer documentation and for a technical audience. Avoid using in user documentation and for a general audience.

mouse

Avoid referring to the mouse whenever possible. Instead, emphasize on the task to be accomplished, and the interaction verb with the mouse such as select, click, or press.

For more information, see Interaction verbs.

mouse over

Don’t use as a synonym for move the mouse pointer to.

For more information, see Interaction verbs.

movable

Not moveable.

move

Use as a verb to describe transferring files, folders, or UI elements from one location to another.

For more information, see Interaction verbs.

MP3

Initialism for MPEG Audio Layer 3. Use uppercase.

Don’t use a filename extension to refer to a type of file. For example, use MP3 file rather than .mp3 file.

For more information, see Referring to file types.

MP4

Initialism for MPEG-4. Use uppercase.

Don’t use a filename extension to refer to a type of file. For example, use MP4 file rather than .mp4 file.

For more information, see Referring to file types.

MPEG

Acronym for Moving Picture Experts Group. Use uppercase.

Don’t use a filename extension to refer to a type of file. For example, use MPEG file rather than .mpg file.

For more information, see Referring to file types.

multi-

In general, don’t hyphenate words beginning with multi- such as multimedia, multilevel, multisite, and multiuser, unless multi- is followed by a proper noun or it is absolutely necessary to avoid confusion.

For more information, see Hyphens.

For word usage of specific terms, see The American Heritage Dictionary.

For more information, see Style, voice, and tone.

MySQL

Capitalize M and use uppercase for SQL.

M

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