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mist (mĭst)
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n.
1. A mass of fine droplets of water in the atmosphere near or in contact with the earth.
2. Water vapor condensed on and clouding the appearance of a surface.
3. Fine drops of a liquid, such as water, perfume, or medication, sprayed into the air.
4. A suspension of fine drops of a liquid in a gas.
5. Something that dims or conceals.
6. A haze before the eyes that blurs the vision.
7. Something that produces or gives the impression of dimness or obscurity: the mists of the past.
8. A drink consisting of a liquor served over cracked ice.
v. mist·ed, mist·ing, mists
v.intr.
1. To be or become obscured or blurred by or as if by mist.
2. To rain in a fine shower.
v.tr.
1. To conceal or veil with or as if with mist.
2. To moisturize (plants or dry air, for example) with a fine spray of water.

[Middle English, from Old English; see meigh- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

    Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

    Indo-European Roots

    Semitic Roots

    The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.