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METER MOVEMENT—The part of the meter that moves to indicate some value [3] [16].
METER SHUNT—A resistor placed in parallel with the meter terminals; used to provide increased range
capability [16].
MHO—Unit of conductance; the reciprocal of the ohm [1].
MICRO—A prefix meaning one-millionth [1].
MICROCIRCUIT—A small circuit having high equivalent-circuit-element density, which is considered as
a single part composed of interconnected elements on or within a single substrate to perform an
electronic-circuit function [14].
MICROCIRCUIT MODULE—An assembly of microcircuits or a combination of microcircuits and
discrete components that perform one or more distinct functions [14].
MICROELECTRONICS—The solid-state concept of electronics in which compact semiconductor
materials are designed to function as an entire circuit or subassembly rather than as circuit components
[7] [14].
MICROPHONE—An energy converter that changes sound energy into electrical energy [12].
MICROWAVE REGION—The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum from 1,000 MHz to 100,000 MHz
[11].
MIL—The diameter of a conductor equal to 1/1000 (.001) inch [4].
MIL FOOT—A unit of measurement for conductors (diameter of 1 mil, 1 foot in length.) [4].
MILITARY SPECIFICATIONS (MIL-SPEC)—Technical requirements and standards adopted by the
Department of Defense that must be met by vendors selling materials to DOD [4].
MILITARY STANDARDS (MILSTD)—Standards of performance for components or equipment that
must be met to be acceptable for military systems [14].
MILLI—A prefix meaning one-thousandth [1].
MINIATURE ELECTRONICS—Modules, packages, pcbs, and so forth, composed exclusively of discrete
components [14].
MINIMUM DISCERNIBLE SIGNAL (MDS)—The weakest input signal that produces a usable signal at
the output of a receiver. The weaker the input signal, the more sensitive the receiver [18].
MINORITY CARRIERS—Either electrons or holes, whichever is the less dominant carrier in a
semiconductor device. In P-type semiconductors, electrons are the minority carriers; in N-type
semiconductors, the holes are the minority carriers [7].
MINORITY CURRENT—A very small current that passes through the base-to-collector junction when
this junction is reverse biased [7].
MINOR LOBE—The lobe in which the radiation intensity is less than that of a major lobe [10].
MIXER—In radar, a circuit that combines the received RF signal with a local-oscillator signal to effectively
convert the received signal to a lower IF frequency signal [18].
