noun · verb · 3 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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General-American, Received-Pronunciation:/meɪm/
US:Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
rhymes with -eɪm
CMU ARPABET:M EY1 M
Digits mark lexical stress: 1 primary, 2 secondary, 0 unstressed.
1
noun
Meaning 1
A severe, serious wound.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Usage: obsolete
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
verb
Meaning 2
To wound seriously; to cause permanent loss of function of a limb or part of the body.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
Examples
He was maimed by a bear.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: mutilate
Antonyms: none provided
3
verb
Meaning 3
injure or wound seriously and leave permanent disfiguration or mutilation
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
Examples
people were maimed by the explosion
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: injure, wound
Narrower terms: mutilate, mar, cripple, lame
History
Etymology
From Middle English maymen, mahaymen, from Anglo-Norman maheimer, mahaigner, of Germanic origin; see mayhem.
Across languages
Translations
68 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Arabic:
شَوِهَ
(šawiha)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Arabic:
بَتَرَ
(batara)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Armenian:
հաշմանդամ դարձնել
(hašmandam darjnel)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Armenian:
հաշմել
(hašmel)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Armenian:
խեղել
(xeġel)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Belarusian:
няве́чыць
(njavjéčycʹ)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Belarusian:
зняве́чыць
(znjavjéčycʹ)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Belarusian:
кале́чыць
(kaljéčycʹ)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Belarusian:
скале́чыць
(skaljéčycʹ)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Belarusian:
пакале́чыць
(pakaljéčycʹ)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Bulgarian:
осакатя́вам
(osakatjávam)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Bulgarian:
осакате́я
(osakatéja)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Catalan:
mutilar
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Chinese Mandarin:
殘害 /残害
(cánhài)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Chinese Mandarin:
致殘 /致残
(zhìcán)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Czech:
zmrzačit
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Czech:
zohavit
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Danish:
lemlæste
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Dutch:
verminken
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Finnish:
vammauttaa
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Finnish:
silpoa
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Finnish:
runnella
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
French:
mutiler
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
French:
estropier
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Galician:
mutilar
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Galician:
fanar
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Galician:
toller
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Galician:
eivar
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Georgian:
დასახიჩრება
(dasaxičreba)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
German:
verstümmeln
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
German:
verschandeln
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Ancient Greek:
πηρόω
(pēróō)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Hungarian:
csonkít
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Icelandic:
limlesta
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Italian:
menomare
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Italian:
mutilare
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Japanese:
不具にする
(fugu ni suru)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Korean:
불구로 만들다
(bulgu-ro mandeulda)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Latin:
dēbilitō
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Latin:
mutilō
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Latin:
truncō
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Macedonian:
осакатува
(osakatuva)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Macedonian:
осакати
(osakati)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Māori:
whakatūroro
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Māori:
whakahauā
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Norwegian:
lemleste
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Polish:
okaleczać
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Polish:
okaleczyć
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Portuguese:
mutilar
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Romanian:
mutila
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Russian:
уве́чить
(uvéčitʹ)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Russian:
изуве́чить
(izuvéčitʹ)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Russian:
кале́чить
(kaléčitʹ)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Russian:
покале́чить
(pokaléčitʹ)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Russian:
искале́чить
(iskaléčitʹ)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Russian:
уро́довать
(uródovatʹ)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Russian:
изуро́довать
(izuródovatʹ)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Sicilian:
acciuncari
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Sicilian:
mutilari
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Sicilian:
truncari
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Sicilian:
tagghiari
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Spanish:
mutilar
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Swedish:
lemlästa
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Swedish:
stympa
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Ukrainian:
ні́вечити
(nívečyty)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Ukrainian:
зні́вечити
(znívečyty)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Ukrainian:
калі́чити
(kalíčyty)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body
Ukrainian:
покалі́чити
(pokalíčyty)
— to cause permanent loss of a part of the body