Muse (my z)n.1. Greek Mythology Any of the nine daughters of Mnemosyne and Zeus, each of whom presided over a different art or science. 2. musea. A guiding spirit. b. A source of inspiration. 3. muse A poet.
[Middle English, from Old French, from Latin M sa, from Greek Mousa; see men-1 in Indo-European roots.] Word History: The Muse has inspired English poetry since Chaucer invoked her in 1374. Muse comes from Latin M sa, from Greek Mousa. There are Greek dialect forms m sa and moisa, and all three come from an original *montya. As to the further origins of this form, a clue is provided by the name of Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory and mother of the Muses. Her name is the Greek noun mn mosun "memory," which comes from *mn -, an extended form of the Greek and Indo-European root *men-, "to think." This is the root from which we derive amnesia (from Greek), mental (from Latin), and mind (from Germanic). The reconstructed form *montya that is the ancestor of Greek Mousa could then mean something like "having mental power." |
muse (my z)v. mused, mus·ing, mus·es v.intr. To be absorbed in one's thoughts; engage in meditation. v.tr. To consider or say thoughtfully: mused that it might take longer to drive than walk. n. A state of meditation.
[Middle English musen, from Old French muser (possibly from mus, snout, from Medieval Latin m sum) and or of Germanic origin.]
mus er n. |
ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms | Noun | 1. | muser - a reflective thinker characterized by quiet contemplationthinker - someone who exercises the mind (usually in an effort to reach a decision) |
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