musk
Meanings
noun
- A greasy secretion with a powerful odour, produced in a glandular sac of the male musk deer and used in the manufacture of perfumes.
- A similar secretion produced by the otter and the civet.
- A synthetic organic compound used as a substitute for the above.
- The odour of musk.
- A musk deer (genus Moschus).
- A muskflower (Erythranthe moschata).
- A plant of the genus Erodium (Erodium moschatum); the musky heronsbill.
- A plant of the genus Muscari; grape hyacinth.
- The scent of human genitalia when aroused or unwashed.
verb
- To perfume with musk.
name
- A surname.
- Elon Musk (b. 1971), entrepreneur and business magnate.
- A locality in the Shire of Hepburn, central western Victoria, Australia.
noun
- Abbreviation of muscle-specific kinase.
Pronunciation
Word forms
Etymology
From Middle English muske, borrowed from Old French musc, from Late Latin muscus, from Ancient Greek μόσχος (móskhos), from Middle Persian [script needed] (mwšk' /muʃk/) whence Persian مشک (mošk). Ultimately from Sanskrit मुष्क (muṣka, “testicle”), the shape of the gland of animals secreting the substance being compared to human testicles, a diminutive of मूष् (mūṣ, “mouse”), the shape of human testicles being compared to mice, from Proto-Indo-European *muh₂s (“mouse”). Cognate with mouse.
Related words
Derived words
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