Mc-
prefix/mək/ · /mɪk/
Etymology Abbreviation of Mac-, from Irish and Scottish Gaelic mac (“son”).
1
Morpheme A patronymic used to form common Irish and Scottish names, similar to the English -son.
2
Derogatory, Morpheme, Often Used in combination with a non-name descriptive word to form mock names.
- Mc- + shit → McShit
- Mc- + stupid → McStupid
4 more examples
- "Nyah-nyah!" they all shouted. "Your name's not McCloy! You're Gerald McBoing Boing, the noise-making boy!'1950 Gerald McBoing Boing (cartoon short)
- His body is lean. His feet aren't clean. His mouth is real mean When he's on the scene, But all the time you hear the women really yellin' his name: Filthy McNasty.1968 Eddie Jefferson "Filthy McNasty" (lyrics for a 1961 instrumental of the same name by Horace Silver)
- Alternatively, one may make the example a bit sharper by discussing a being, call him 'McStupid', that always knows who he is, but knows nothing else.2005, Daniel J. Hill, Divinity and Maximal Greatness, Routledge, →ISBN, page 44:
- I bet Thomas McSmart-arse makes some dumb comment about my nose-ring.2006, Brigid Lowry, Guitar Highway Rose, Macmillan, →ISBN, page 29:
3
Business Morpheme Used to form the name of McDonald's products.
- Mc- + griddle → McGriddle
- Mc- + muffin → McMuffin
2 more examples
- Mc- + rib → McRib
- Mc- + café → McCafé
4
Broadly, Derogatory, Morpheme Indicating a lack of depth or worth, by association with McDonald's.
- Mc- + car → McCar
- Mc- + church → McChurch
4 more examples
- Mc- + job → McJob
- Mc- + mansion → McMansion
- Mc- + dojo → McDojo
- Sesame Street is "McEducation." Like things served by the golden arches, Sesame Street has at once elevated the dregs and lowered the quality to mediocrity1983 Wallace Marx, "It's Not How Long You Make It," New York Magazine, Vol. 16, No. 50 (19 Dec 1983), p11
5
Broadly, Derogatory, Humorous, Morpheme Indicating an increase in availability or an increase in consumerism causing items to be more readily available.
- Mc- + nuke → McNuke