{{Short description|Thirteenth letter of the Latin alphabet}} {{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}} {{About|the letter of the Roman alphabet|the letter of the Cyrillic script (М, м)|Em (Cyrillic)|the letter of the Greek script (Μ, μ) |Mu (letter)|other uses}} {{distinguish|ញ|ᛖ|₥|ℳ|ෆ|ʍ}} {{pp-semi|small=yes}} {{pp-move|small=yes}} {{More citations needed|date=March 2016}} {{Infobox grapheme | name = M | letter = M m | script = Latin script | type = Alphabet | typedesc = ic and Logographic | language = Latinlanguage | phonemes = {{flex list|[{{IPAlink|m}}]|[{{IPAlink|ɱ}}]|[{{IPAlink|n}}]|[{{IPAlink|n̼}}]|{{IPAblink|◌̃}}|[{{IPAlink|∅}}]}} | unicode = U+004D, U+006D | alphanumber = 13 | number = 1000 | fam1 = <hiero>N35</hiero> | fam2 = class=skin-invert-image|20px|Maym | fam3 = class=skin-invert-image|20px|Phoenician Mem | fam4 = class=skin-invert-image|20px | fam5 = class=skin-invert-image|20px|Early Greek My | fam6 = Μ μ | fam7 = class=skin-invert-image|20px | fam8 = 𐌌 | usageperiod = {{circa}} 700 BCE to present | children = {{flex list|₥|{{not a typo|™|℠}}|ᴟ|ꬺ|ꟽ|ɯ|ɰ|ꟿ|ᛗ}} | sisters = {{flex list|М|Ӎ|מ|ם|م|ܡ|מּ|ﬦ|class=skin-invert-image|10px|Aramaic Mem|Ⰿ|ࠌ|𐌼}} | equivalents = | associates = m(x) | direction = Left-to-right | image = File:Latin_letter_M.svg | imageclass = skin-invert-image }} {{Latin letter info|m}}
'''M''' (minuscule: '''m''') is the thirteenth letter of the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of several Western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''em'' (pronounced {{IPAc-en|'|ɛ|m|audio=LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-M.wav}}), plural ''ems''.<ref>"M" ''Oxford English Dictionary,'' 2nd edition (1989); ''Merriam-Webster's Third New International Dictionary of the English Language, Unabridged'' (1993); "em," op. cit.</ref>
==History== {| class="wikitable" ! Egyptian hieroglyph<br/>"n" ! Phoenician<br/>Mem ! Western Greek<br/>Mu ! Etruscan<br/>M ! Latin<br/>M |--- align=center |<hiero>n</hiero> | class=skin-invert-image|25x25px | class=skin-invert-image|35px | class=skin-invert-image|25px | class=skin-invert-image|x30px|Latin M |} The letter M is derived from the Phoenician Mem via the Greek Mu (Μ, μ). Semitic Mem is most likely derived from a "Proto-Sinaitic" (Bronze Age) adoption of the "water" ideogram in Egyptian writing. The Egyptian sign had the acrophonic value {{IPA|/n/}}, from the Egyptian word for "water", ''nt''; the adoption as the Semitic letter for {{IPA|/m/}} was presumably also on acrophonic grounds, from the Semitic word for "water", ''*mā(y)-''.<ref>See F. Simons, "Proto-Sinaitic — Progenitor of the Alphabet" ''Rosetta'' 9 (2011): Figure Two: "Representative selection of proto-Sinaitic characters with comparison to Egyptian hieroglyphs", (p. 38) Figure Three: "Chart of all early proto-Canaanite letters with comparison to proto-Sinaitic signs" (p. 39), Figure Four: "Representative selection of later proto-Canaanite letters with comparison to early proto-Canaanite and proto-Sinaitic signs" (p. 40). See also: Goldwasser (2010), following Albright (1966), "Schematic Table of Proto-Sinaitic Characters" ([https://www.apocalypse2008-2015.com/images/Proto-Sinaitic_Table.gif fig. 1] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160703163923/http://apocalypse2008-2015.com/images/Proto-Sinaitic_Table.gif |date=2016-07-03 }}).</ref>
==Use in writing systems== {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible" |+ Pronunciation of {{angbr|m}} by language ! Orthography ! Phonemes |- ! Catalan | {{IPAslink|m}} |- ! {{nwr|Standard Chinese (Pinyin)}} | {{IPAslink|m}} |- ! English | {{IPAslink|m}}, ''silent'' |- ! French | {{IPAslink|m}}, {{IPAslink|◌̃}} |- ! German | {{IPAslink|m}} |- ! Portuguese | {{IPAslink|m}}, {{IPAslink|◌̃}} |- ! Spanish | {{IPAslink|m}}, {{IPAslink|n}} |- ! Turkish | {{IPAslink|m}} |}
===English=== In English, {{angbr|m}} represents the voiced bilabial nasal {{IPA|/m/}}.
The Oxford English Dictionary (first edition) says that {{angbr|m}} is sometimes a vowel, such as in words like ''spasm'' and in the suffix ''-ism''. In modern terminology, this is described as a syllabic consonant (IPA: {{IPA|/m̩/}}).
The digraph, "mn," when used in the beginning of words, such as mnemonic, is pronounced as /n/. This digraph is the only instance where the letter {{angbr|m}} is silent.
M is the fourteenth most frequently used letter in the English language.
===Other languages=== The letter {{angbr|m}} represents the voiced bilabial nasal {{IPA|/m/}} in the orthography of Latin as well as in those of many modern languages. In Spanish, final {{angbr|m}} is rare and mostly corresponds to {{IPA|/n/}}, with {{IPA|/m/}} being a foreign pronunciation applied only by some speakers in loanwords.
In Washo, lower-case {{angbr|m}} represents a voiced bilabial nasal {{IPA|/m/}}, while upper-case {{angbr|M}} represents a voiceless bilabial nasal {{IPA|/m̥/}}.
===Other systems=== In the International Phonetic Alphabet, {{angbr|m}} represents the voiced bilabial nasal {{IPA|/m/}}.
==Other uses== {{main article|M (disambiguation)}} [[File:Miehikkala.vaakuna.svg|thumb|upright=0.7|Styled letter M in the coat of arms of Miehikkälä]] * The Roman numeral M represents the number 1000, though it was not used in Roman times. There is, however, scant evidence that the letter was later introduced in the early centuries A.D. by the Romans.<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/illustratedintro0000gord | url-access=registration | quote=roman numerals. | title=Illustrated Introduction to Latin Epigraphy | publisher=University of California Press | date=1983 | access-date=3 October 2015 | author=Gordon, Arthur E. | pages=[https://archive.org/details/illustratedintro0000gord/page/45 45]| isbn=9780520038981 }}</ref> * Unit prefix M (mega), meaning one million times, and m (milli) meaning one-thousandth.<ref name="freedict">{{cite web |url=https://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/m |title=What does M stand for? |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=The Free Dictionary |publisher= |access-date=9 February 2021 |quote= |archive-date=25 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201125054852/https://acronyms.thefreedictionary.com/M |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="collins">{{cite web |url=https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/m_1 |title=M definition and meaning |author=<!--Not stated--> |date= |website=Collins English Dictionary |publisher= |access-date=9 February 2021 |quote= |archive-date=27 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210227212738/https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/m_1 |url-status=live }}</ref> * m is the standard abbreviation for metre (or meter) in the International System of Units (SI).<ref name="freedict"/> However, m is sometimes also used as an abbreviation for mile.<ref name="collins"/> * M is used as the unit abbreviation for molarity.<ref name="freedict" /> * With money amounts, m or M is ambiguous. In the finance industry,<ref>{{cite web |title=MM (Millions) |url=https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/fixed-income/mm-millions/ |website=corporatefinanceinstitute.com |publisher=corporate finance institute. |access-date=5 August 2024 |archive-date=August 5, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240805214551/https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/fixed-income/mm-millions/ |url-status=live }}</ref> m or M means 1,000. In this context, five million dollars is written $5mm or $5MM. Outside of finance, some people use M like the metric system "mega-" to mean one million and write $5M.<ref name="freedict"/><ref name="collins"/> * M often represents male or masculine, especially in conjunction with F for female or feminine.<ref name="freedict"/><ref name="collins"/> * In typography, an em dash is a punctuation symbol whose width is similar to that of a capital letter M. * M is used as a logo by many rapid transit systems, standing for "Metro" (or equivalents in other languages.)
==Related characters== <!-- Please only list characters (symbols in a writing system, but not just convenience code points in Unicode) that are actually related in terms of origin to the letter that is the topic of this article. Characters that merely look subjectively similar need not apply. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Identifying_reliable_sources before adding more. -->
===Descendants and related characters in the Latin alphabet===
*M with diacritics: Ḿ ḿ Ṁ ṁ Ṃ ṃ M̃ m̃ ᵯ<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2003/03174r2-mid-tilde.pdf|title=L2/03-174R2: Proposal to Encode Phonetic Symbols with Middle Tilde in the UCS|date=2003-09-30|first=Peter|last=Constable|access-date=2018-03-24|archive-date=2017-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011013938/http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2003/03174r2-mid-tilde.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> *IPA-specific symbols related to M: {{IPA link|ɱ}} {{IPA link|ɰ}} *Ɱ : Capital M with hook *Uralic Phonetic Alphabet-specific symbols related to M:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2002/02141-n2419-uralic-phonetic.pdf|title=L2/02-141: Uralic Phonetic Alphabet characters for the UCS|date=2002-03-20|first1=Michael|last1=Everson|author-link1=Michael Everson|display-authors=etal|access-date=2018-03-24|archive-date=2018-02-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180219081033/http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2002/02141-n2419-uralic-phonetic.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> **{{Unichar|1D0D|LATIN LETTER SMALL CAPITAL M}} **{{Unichar|1D1F|LATIN SMALL LETTER SIDEWAYS TURNED M}} **{{Unichar|1D39|MODIFIER LETTER CAPITAL M}} **{{Unichar|1D50|MODIFIER LETTER SMALL M}} **{{Unichar|1D5A|MODIFIER LETTER SMALL TURNED M}} *Some symbols related to M were used by the Uralic Phonetic Alphabet prior to its formal standardization in 1902:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2009/09028-n3571-upa-additions.pdf|title=L2/09-028: Proposal to encode additional characters for the Uralic Phonetic Alphabet|date=2009-01-27|first1=Klaas|last1=Ruppel|first2=Tero|last2=Aalto|first3=Michael|last3=Everson|access-date=2018-03-24|archive-date=2017-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011014359/http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2009/09028-n3571-upa-additions.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> **{{Unichar|2098|LATIN SUBSCRIPT SMALL LETTER M}} **{{Unichar|A7FA|LATIN LETTER SMALL CAPITAL TURNED M}} *The Teuthonista phonetic transcription system uses {{Unichar|AB3A|LATIN SMALL LETTER M WITH CROSSED-TAIL}}<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2011/11202-n4081-teuthonista.pdf|title=L2/11-202: Revised proposal to encode "Teuthonista" phonetic characters in the UCS|date=2011-06-02|first1=Michael|last1=Everson|first2=Alois|last2=Dicklberger|first3=Karl|last3=Pentzlin|first4=Eveline|last4=Wandl-Vogt|access-date=2018-03-24|archive-date=2017-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011012426/http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2011/11202-n4081-teuthonista.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> *Other variations used for phonetic transcription:<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2004/04132-n2740-phonetic.pdf|title=L2/04-132 Proposal to add additional phonetic characters to the UCS|date=2004-04-19|first=Peter|last=Constable|access-date=2018-03-24|archive-date=2017-10-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011014355/http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2004/04132-n2740-phonetic.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> ᶆ ᶬ ᶭ *Ɯ ɯ : Turned M *ꟽ : Inverted M was used in ancient Roman texts to stand for ''mulier'' (woman)<ref name="L206269">{{Cite web|url=https://www.unicode.org/L2/L2006/06269-add-roman.pdf|title=L2/06-269: Proposal to Add Additional Ancient Roman Characters to UCS|date=2006-08-01|first=David J.|last=Perry|access-date=2018-03-24|archive-date=2019-06-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190614231608/http://www.unicode.org/L2/L2006/06269-add-roman.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> *ꟿ : Archaic M was used in ancient Roman texts to abbreviate the personal name 'Manius' (A regular capital M was used for the more common personal name 'Marcus')<ref name="L206269"/> *ℳ : currency symbol for Mark
===Ancestors and siblings in other alphabets=== *𐤌 : Semitic letter Mem, from which the following symbols originally derive: **Μ μ : Greek letter Mu, from which M derives ***{{Script|Copt|Ⲙ ⲙ}} : Coptic letter Me, which derives from Greek Mu ***М м : Cyrillic letter Em, also derived from Mu ***𐌌 : Old Italic M, which derives from Greek Mu, and is the ancestor of modern Latin M ****{{Script|Runr|ᛗ}} : Runic letter Mannaz, which derives from old Italic M ***{{Script|Goth|𐌼}} : Gothic letter manna, which derives from Greek Mu
===Ligatures and abbreviations=== *₥ : Mill (currency) *{{not a typo|™}} : Trademark symbol *{{not a typo|℠}} : Service mark symbol
==Other representations== ===Computing <span class="anchor" id="Computing codes"></span>=== * {{unichar | 004D }} * {{unichar | 006D }} * {{unichar | FF2D |nlink=Half-width and full-width forms}} * {{unichar | FF4D }}
===Other=== {{Letter other reps |NATO=Mike |Morse=–– |Character=M |Braille=⠍ |fingerspelling=M }} {{clear}}
==Notes== {{Notelist}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *{{Commons-inline}} *{{Wiktionary-inline|M}} *{{Wiktionary-inline|m}}
{{Latin alphabet|M|}}
Category:ISO basic Latin letters