mace
1[ meys ]
/ meɪs /
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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.
Billiards. a light stick with a flat head, formerly used at times instead of a cue.
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Origin of mace
11250–1300; Middle English <Old French (compare French masse) large mallet <Vulgar Latin *mattea; akin to Latin matteola kind of mallet; compare Sanskrit matya harrow
Other definitions for mace (2 of 3)
mace2
[ meys ]
/ meɪs /
noun
a spice ground from the layer between a nutmeg shell and its outer husk, resembling nutmeg in flavor.
Origin of mace
21350–1400; Middle English, back formation from macis (taken as plural) <Middle French <Latin maccis a spice
Other definitions for mace (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. 2022
British Dictionary definitions for mace (1 of 3)
mace1
/ (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 mace (2 of 3)
mace2
/ (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
British Dictionary definitions for mace (3 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
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
Medical definitions for mace
Mace
An alternate trademark for Chemical Mace, an aerosol used to immobilize an attacker temporarily.
The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.