mace

[ meys ]

/ meɪs /

noun

a clublike armor-breaking weapon of war, often with a flanged or spiked metal head, used chiefly in the Middle Ages.

a ceremonial staff carried before or by certain officials as a symbol of office.

macebearer.

Billiards. a light stick with a flat head, formerly used at times instead of a cue.

RELATED WORDS

baton, club, staff, rod, spice, mallet

Nearby words

macdonough, macdonough, thomas, macdowell, macdowell, edward alexander, macduff, mace, macebearer, maced., macedoine, macedon, macedonia

Origin of mace

1250–1300; Middle English < Old French (compare French masse) large mallet < Vulgar Latin *mattea; akin to Latin matteola kind of mallet; compare Sanskrit matya harrow

Definition for maces (2 of 3)

mace

[ meys ]

/ meɪs /

noun

a spice ground from the layer between a nutmeg shell and its outer husk, resembling nutmeg in flavor.

Origin of mace

1350–1400; Middle English, back formation from macis (taken as plural) < Middle French < Latin maccis a spice

Definition for maces (3 of 3)

Mace

[ meys ]

/ meɪs /

Trademark.

Also called Chemical Mace. a nonlethal spray containing purified tear gas and chemical solvents that temporarily incapacitate a person mainly by causing eye and skin irritations: used especially as a means of subduing rioters.

verb (used with object), Maced, Mac·ing.

(sometimes lowercase) to attack with Mace spray.

Origin of Mace

1965–70; probably from mace¹ (in the sense “clublike weapon”)

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for maces

And the trident Vijaya was followed by the Pattisa41 of Rudra guarded by maces, balls, clubs and other excellent weapons.
The Mahabharata of Krishna-Dwaipayana Vyasa Bk. 3 Pt. 2|Translated by Kisari Mohan Ganguli
There was the flash of swords and maces and battle-axes, with the whistling of arrows and the hurling of darts and lances.
The Moors in Spain|Stanley Lane-Poole
They were searching for survivors of the fracas, maces and riot pistols held ready for use.
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, December 1930|Various
When you summoned those men to go out, you did not provide them with maces and equipments as you usually do?
Report of the Committee Appointed to Investigate the Railroad Riots in July, 1877|Various

With their numbers greatly augmented, the guards were now in control of the situation and their maces struck left and right.
Astounding Stories of Super-Science, December 1930|Various

British Dictionary definitions for maces (1 of 3)

Mace

/ (meɪs) US /

noun

trademark a liquid causing tears and nausea, used as a spray for riot control, etc

verb

(tr; sometimes not capital) to use Mace on

British Dictionary definitions for maces (2 of 3)

mace

/ (meɪs) /

noun

a club, usually having a spiked metal head, used esp in the Middle Ages

a ceremonial staff of office carried by certain officials

See macebearer

an early form of billiard cue

Word Origin for mace

C13: from Old French, probably from Vulgar Latin mattea (unattested); apparently related to Latin mateola mallet

British Dictionary definitions for maces (3 of 3)

mace

/ (meɪs) /

noun

a spice made from the dried aril round the nutmeg seed

Word Origin for mace

C14: formed as a singular from Old French macis (wrongly assumed to be plural), from Latin macir an oriental spice

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Word Origin and History for maces (1 of 3)

mace

n.1

"heavy metal weapon, often with a spiked head," late 13c., from Old French mace "a club, scepter" (Modern French masse), from Vulgar Latin *mattea (cf. Italian mazza, Spanish maza "mace"), from Latin mateola (in Late Latin also matteola) "a kind of mallet." The Latin word perhaps is cognate with Sanskrit matyam "harrow, club," Old Church Slavonic motyka "mattock," Old High German medela "plow" [Klein]. As a symbol of authority or office from mid-15c.

Word Origin and History for maces (1 of 3)

mace

n.2

"spice made from dry outer husk of nutmeg," late 14c., from Old French macis (in English taken as a plural and stripped of its -s), of uncertain origin, sometimes said to be a scribal error for Latin macir, the name of a red spicy bark from India, but OED finds this etymology unlikely.

Word Origin and History for maces (2 of 3)

Mace

n.3

chemical spray originally used in riot control, 1966, technically Chemical Mace, a proprietary name (General Ordnance Equipment Corp, Pittsburgh, Pa.), probably so called for its use as a weapon, in reference to mace (1). The verb is first attested 1968. Related: Maced; macing.

Medicine definitions for maces

Mace

An alternate trademark for Chemical Mace, an aerosol used to immobilize an attacker temporarily.