mus Latin · revision 4843

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=inherited|attested=Plautus|origins=ine-pro *múHs}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA (Classical): [ˈmuːs]^(Wiktionary)

+ * IPA (Ecclesiastical): [ˈmus]^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Forms==

+ '''mūs''' ''m'' or f (genitive mūris); third declension^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|itc-pro|*mūs|t=mouse]], [[inh|ine-pro|*múHs|t=mouse]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(Wiktionary) Cognate with [[sa|मूष्|tr=mū́ṣ-|t=mouse, rat]], [[grc|μῦς|tr=mûs|t=mouse]], [[goh|mūs|t=mouse]], [[cu|мышь|tr=myšĭ|t=mouse]] and [[en|mouse]].^(de Vaan 2008)^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ In Plautus people who always eat other people's food are compared to mice.^(OLD 2012)^(de Vaan 2008) Köbler dates Plautus c. 250–184 BC.^(Köbler 2010)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ In Classical Latin it was a mouse or a similar rodent, and Horace contrasts the country mouse with the town mouse.^(OLD 2012)^(Georges 1913) 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.^(OLD 2012) Petronius uses it as an insult and Martial as a term of endearment.^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ Medieval writers used it as a type of the small, the cowardly or the harmful.^(DMLBS) It survives as [[it|mure]].^(Wiktionary) Its diminutive [[mūsculus]] “little mouse” also meant a muscle, and gave English ''muscle''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 250–184 BC – Plautus uses it.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * 204–169 BC – Ennius uses it of a mussel.^(OLD 2012)^(Köbler 2010)

+ * late 14th century – English ''muscle'' is recorded, from ''mūsculus''.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Meanings==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[m|en|mouse]], a [[m|en|rat]].^(OLD 2012)^(Wiktionary)

+ # A [[m|en|mussel]].^(OLD 2012)

+ # ''Mūs araneus'', a shrew, ''mūs marīnus'', a kind of sea fish.^(OLD 2012)

+ # A term of abuse; a term of endearment.^(Gaffiot 2016)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mūriculus]]

+ * [[muricus]]

+ * [[mūrīnus]]

+ * [[mūscipulum]]

+ * [[mūricīdus]]

+ * [[mūrilegus]]

+ * [[mūsarāneus]]

+ * [[mūscellārium]]

+ * [[mūscerda]]

+ * [[mūscipula]]

+ * [[mūsculus]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[mūrex]]

+ * [[mūrilegulus]]

+ * [[mūscipulātor]]

+ * [[mūstēla]]

+ * [[mūstricula]]

+ * [[en|muscle]]

+ * [[en|mouse]]

+ * [[en|mussel]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ ''Mūs'' was also a cognomen of the Decii, such as Publius Decius Mus.^(OLD 2012)^(Lewis & Short 1879)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}