musk

== English == === 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. === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA(key): /mʌsk/ (General Australian, New Zealand) IPA(key): /mɐsk/ (Northern England) IPA(key): /mʊsk/ Rhymes: -ʌsk Homophone: MuSK === Noun === musk (countable and uncountable, plural musks) 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. (slang, colloquial, vulgar) The scent of human genitalia when aroused or unwashed. ==== Derived terms ==== ==== Related terms ==== ==== Descendants ==== → Irish: musc → Welsh: mwsg ==== Translations ==== === Verb === musk (third-person singular simple present musks, present participle musking, simple past and past participle musked) (transitive) To perfume with musk. === Anagrams === skum == Middle English == === Noun === musk alternative form of muske