# MIR

/ˈmɪɹ/ (US) · /mˈiə/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/mir
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. Russian village community

noun · CEFR C2 · Archaic · Formal

a traditional village community in old Russia where people shared the land and made local decisions together.

For teachers: a self-governing community of peasants in Imperial Russia that managed local land and tax collection collectively.

- In the 19th century, the mir was the center of social life for most Russian farmers.
- Historians often debate whether the mir served as a genuine precursor to socialist ideals or merely a tool for state tax collection.

Usage: Usually appears in historical or sociological texts concerning pre-revolutionary Russia.

### 2. Soviet space station

noun · CEFR B2

the name of a famous Soviet and Russian space station that orbited Earth for many years.

For teachers: a modular space station operated in low Earth orbit by the Soviet Union and later by Russia from 1986 to 2001.

- Astronauts from many different countries visited the Mir space station.
- The Mir space station represented a significant milestone in long-duration human spaceflight before its controlled deorbit in 2001.

### 3. mid-infrared radiation

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

Stands for mid-infrared. It is a type of light that humans cannot see but can feel as heat.

For teachers: Abbreviation for mid-infrared radiation. Refers to the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum between the near-infrared and far-infrared regions.

- The new telescope uses MIR sensors to look through clouds of space dust.
- MIR spectroscopy is an essential tool for identifying organic compounds based on their unique molecular vibrations.

Usage: Typically written in all-caps as an initialism.

### 4. microRNA

noun · CEFR C2 · Technical

Stands for microRNA. These are tiny molecules in your cells that help control how your genes work.

For teachers: Abbreviation for microRNA. A small, non-coding RNA molecule that functions in RNA silencing and the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression.

- Scientists are studying how MIR molecules might be used to treat diseases.
- The dysregulation of specific MIR sequences has been linked to the progression of various types of cancer.

Usage: In biological contexts, often written as miRNA, but sometimes abbreviated as MIR in genetic databases.

## Examples

- The old stories speak of peace throughout the mir.
- The cosmonauts spent several months conducting scientific experiments aboard the Mir space station.
- In the traditional Russian village, the mir functioned as a communal system for land tenure and local administration among the peasantry.

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