mace

1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈmās 

: an aromatic spice consisting of the dried external fibrous covering of a nutmeg

mace

2 of 4

noun (2)

1

a

: a heavy often spiked staff or club used especially in the Middle Ages for breaking armor

b

: a club used as a weapon

2

a

: an ornamental staff borne as a symbol of authority before a public official (such as a magistrate) or a legislative body

b

: one who carries a mace

mace

3 of 4

verb

maced; macing

transitive verb

: to attack with the liquid Mace

Mace

4 of 4

trademark

ˈmās 

—used for a temporarily disabling liquid usually used as a spray

Examples of mace in a Sentence

Verb

She maced the man who attacked her.

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Weapons of any kind (no knives or mace/pepper spray of any size). —Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 14 Oct. 2024

Louisiana recently OK'd the use of mace and pepper spray in juvenile detention facilities. —Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 12 Sep. 2024

In a brutal roundup of 141 people on October 27, heavily fortified law enforcement officials ripped Native American elders from prayer circles, and used mace, pepper spray, sound cannons, flash bang grenades, rubber bullets, and bean bag guns. —Lauren Carasik, Foreign Affairs, 9 Nov. 2016

For example, on October 22, water protectors holding a prayer ceremony were encircled by law enforcement who deployed mace, and arrested more than 120 people. —Lauren Carasik, Foreign Affairs, 9 Nov. 2016

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Old French mascie, macis, from Medieval Latin macis

Noun (2)

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Vulgar Latin *mattia; akin to Latin mateola mallet

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1967, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

mace

1 of 2 noun

ˈmās 

1

: a heavy spiked club used as a weapon in the Middle Ages

2

: an ornamental staff carried as a symbol of authority

mace

2 of 2 noun

: a spice made from the dried outer covering of the nutmeg

Etymology

Noun

Middle English mace "a heavy spiked club," from early French mace (same meaning); probably of Latin origin

Noun

Middle English mace "the spice mace," from early French mascie, macis (same meaning), from Latin macis "an East Indian spice"

Medical Definition

Mace

trademark

ˈmās 

—used for a temporarily disabling liquid that when sprayed in the face of a person causes tears, dizziness, immobilization, and sometimes nausea