mus

Pronunciation

• IPA (Classical): [ˈmuːs]^[1]
• IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmus]^[1]

Forms

mūs m or f (genitive mūris); third declension^[1]

Etymology

It is inherited from Proto-Italic *mūs (“mouse”), inherited from Proto-Indo-European *múHs (“mouse”).^[2][1] Cognate with Sanskrit मूष् (mū́ṣ-, “mouse, rat”), Ancient Greek μῦς (mûs, “mouse”), Old High German mūs (“mouse”), Old Church Slavonic мышь (myšĭ, “mouse”) and English mouse.^[2][3][1]

Earliest recorded meaning

In Plautus people who always eat other people's food are compared to mice.^[3][2] Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^[4]

Semantic evolution

In Classical Latin it was a mouse or a similar rodent, and Horace contrasts the country mouse with the town mouse.^[3][5] Ennius and Lucilius use it of a mussel, and mūs marīnus and mūs araneus were a sea fish and a shrew with a poisonous bite.^[3] Petronius uses it as an insult and Martial as a term of endearment.^[6]

Medieval writers used it as a type of the small, the cowardly or the harmful.^[7] It survives as Italian mure.^[1] Its diminutive mūsculus “little mouse” also meant a muscle, and gave English muscle.^[8]

Timeline

• c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^[3][4]
• 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of a mussel.^[3][4]
• late 14th century – English muscle is recorded, from mūsculus.^[8]

Meanings

Noun

1. A mouse, a rat.^[3][1]
2. A mussel.^[3]
3. Mūs araneus, a shrew, mūs marīnus, a kind of sea fish.^[3]
4. A term of abuse; a term of endearment.^[6]

Word family

• mūriculus
• muricus
• mūrīnus
• mūscipulum
• mūricīdus
• mūrilegus
• mūsarāneus
• mūscellārium
• mūscerda
• mūscipula
• mūsculus

Related words

• mūrex
• mūrilegulus
• mūscipulātor
• mūstēla
• mūstricula
• English muscle
• English mouse
• English mussel

Usage notes

Mūs was also a cognomen of the Decii, such as Publius Decius Mus.^[3][9]

References

1. ^ a b c d e f g Wiktionary, the free dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org
2. ^ a b c de Vaan, Michiel (2008), Etymological Dictionary of Latin and the other Italic Languages, Leiden Indo-European Etymological Dictionary Series 7, Leiden; Boston: Brill
3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Glare, P. G. W., ed. (2012), Oxford Latin Dictionary, 2nd ed., Oxford: Oxford University Press
4. ^ a b c Köbler, Gerhard (2010), Lateinisches Abkunfts- und Wirkungswörterbuch für Altertum und Mittelalter, online ed., koeblergerhard.de
5. ^ Georges, Karl Ernst (1913–1918), Ausführliches lateinisch-deutsches Handwörterbuch, 8th ed., ed. Heinrich Georges, Hannover; Leipzig: Hahn
6. ^ a b Gaffiot, Félix (2016), Dictionnaire latin-français, new ed. by Gérard Gréco et al. (Gaffiot 2016), online ed.
7. ^ Latham, R. E., D. R. Howlett, R. K. Ashdowne, et al. (1975–2013), Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources, London: British Academy / Oxford University Press
8. ^ a b Harper, Douglas. Online Etymology Dictionary, https://www.etymonline.com
9. ^ Lewis, Charlton T.; Short, Charles (1879), A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press