museum English · revision 3853

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1615|origins=grc Μοῦσα}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /mjuːˈziː.əm/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[bor|la|mūsēum|t=library, study]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[grc|μουσεῖον|tr=mouseîon|t=place of study, library; seat or shrine of the Muses]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986) the noun use of the neuter of [[m|grc|μουσεῖος|tr=mouseîos|t=of the Muses]],^(MWU 2024)^(Hoad 1986) from [[m|grc|Μοῦσα|tr=Moûsa|t=a Muse]].^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) It is related to [[muse]], [[music]] and [[mosaic]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ The university building erected by Ptolemy at Alexandria: 1615 in the OED and Barnhart,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) the 1610s in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ The early general use was a library, study or place of learning, from about 1645,^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) regarded as a home of the Muses;^(Hoad 1986) the earliest use for English institutions was of libraries for scholarly study, in the 1640s.^(Etymonline) Until 1973 the British Museum included a working library.^(Barnhart 1988) A building for keeping and displaying objects of art, science or history is first recorded in 1683, of the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, opened that year.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)^(Hoad 1986) Figurative use is from 1753,^(OED 1989) and the ''museum piece'', an old-fashioned thing or person, from the 20th century.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1615 – the Museum at Alexandria.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1645 – a place of learning, a library.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1683 – a building for exhibits, the Ashmolean.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1753 – figurative.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1930 – ''museum piece''.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A building or institution that collects, preserves, studies and displays objects of artistic, historical or scientific value.^(AHD)^(MW Collegiate)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[museum piece]]

+ * [[wax museum]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[museology]]

+ * [[muse]]

+ * [[music]]

+ * [[mosaic]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}