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Webster 1913 Edition

Musk

Musk

(mŭsk)
,
Noun.
[F.
musc
, L.
muscus
, Per.
musk
, fr. Skr.
mushka
testicle, orig., a little mouse. See
Mouse
, and cd.
Abelmosk
,
Muscadel
,
Muscovy duck
,
Nutmeg
.]
1.
A substance of a reddish brown color, and when fresh of the consistency of honey, obtained from a bag being behind the navel of the male musk deer. It has a slightly bitter taste, but is specially remarkable for its powerful and enduring odor. It is used in medicine as a stimulant antispasmodic. The term is also applied to secretions of various other animals, having a similar odor.
2.
(Zool.)
The musk deer. See
Musk deer
(below).
3.
The perfume emitted by musk, or any perfume somewhat similar.
4.
(Bot.)
(a)
The musk plant (
Mimulus moschatus
).
(b)
A plant of the genus
Erodium
(
Erodium moschatum
); – called also
musky heron’s-bill
.
(c)
A plant of the genus
Muscari
; grape hyacinth.
Musk beaver
(Zool.)
,
muskrat (1).
–
Musk beetle
(Zool.)
,
a European longicorn beetle (
Aromia moschata
), having an agreeable odor resembling that of attar of roses.
–
Musk cat
.
See
Bondar
.
–
Musk cattle
(Zool.)
,
musk oxen. See
Musk ox
(below).
–
Musk deer
(Zool.)
,
a small hornless deer (
Moschus moschiferus
), which inhabits the elevated parts of Central Asia. The upper canine teeth of the male are developed into sharp tusks, curved downward. The male has scent bags on the belly, from which the musk of commerce is derived. The deer is yellow or red-brown above, whitish below. The pygmy musk deer are chevrotains, as the kanchil and napu.
–
Musk duck
.
(Zool.)
(a)
The Muscovy duck
.
(b)
An Australian duck (
Biziura lobata
).
–
Musk lorikeet
(Zool.)
,
the Pacific lorikeet (
Glossopsitta australis
) of Australia.
–
Musk mallow
(Bot.)
,
a name of two malvaceous plants
:
(a)
A species of mallow (
Malva moschata
), the foliage of which has a faint musky smell
.
(b)
An Asiatic shrub. See
Abelmosk
.
–
Musk orchis
(Bot.)
,
a European plant of the Orchis family (
Herminium Minorchis
); – so called from its peculiar scent.
–
Musk ox
(Zool.)
,
an Arctic hollow-horned ruminant (
Ovibos moschatus
), now existing only in America, but found fossil in Europe and Asia. It is covered with a thick coat of fine yellowish wool, and with long dark hair, which is abundant and shaggy on the neck and shoulders. The full-grown male weighs over four hundred pounds.
–
Musk parakeet
.
(Zool.)
Same as
Musk lorikeet
(above).
–
Musk pear
(Bot.)
,
a fragrant kind of pear much resembling the Seckel pear.
–
Musk plant
(Bot.)
,
the
Mimulus moschatus
, a plant found in Western North America, often cultivated, and having a strong musky odor.
–
Musk root
(Bot.)
,
the name of several roots with a strong odor, as that of the nard (
Nardostachys Jatamansi
) and of a species of
Angelica
.
–
Musk rose
(Bot.)
,
a species of rose (
Rosa moschata
), having peculiarly fragrant white blossoms.
–
Musk seed
(Bot.)
,
the seed of a plant of the Mallow family (
Hibiscus moschatus
), used in perfumery and in flavoring. See
Abelmosk
.
–
Musk sheep
(Zool.)
,
the musk ox.
–
Musk shrew
(Zool.)
,
a shrew (
Sorex murinus
), found in India. It has a powerful odor of musk. Called also
sondeli
, and
mondjourou
.
–
Musk thistle
(Bot.)
,
a species of thistle (
Carduus nutans
), having fine large flowers, and leaves smelling strongly of musk.
–
Musk tortoise
,
Musk turtle
(Zool.)
,
a small American fresh-water tortoise (
Armochelys odorata
syn.
Ozotheca odorata
), which has a distinct odor of musk; – called also
stinkpot
.

Musk

(mŭsk)
,
Verb.
T.
To perfume with musk.

Webster 1828 Edition

Musk

MUSK

,
Noun.
[L. muscus; Gr.musk, and moss.] A strong scented substance obtained from a cyst or bag near the navel of the Thibet musk [Moschus moschiferus,] an animal that inhabits the Asiatic Alps, especially the Altaic chain. This animal is a little more than three feet in length; the head resembles that of the roe,the fur is coarse, like that of the cervine race, but thick, erect, smooth and soft. It has no horns, but the male has two long tusks, one on each side, projecting from the mouth. The female is smaller than the male and has neither tusks nor follicle. The cyst of the male is about the size of a hen's egg, oval, flat on one side and rounded on the other, having a small orifice. This contains a clotted, oily, friable matter of a dark brown color, which is the true musk, one of the strongest odors or perfumes in nature. We give the name to the substance and to the animal.

MUSK

,
Noun.
Grape-hyacinth or grape-flower.

MUSK

,
Verb.
T.
To perfume with musk.

Definition 2024

musk

musk

English

Noun

musk ‎(plural musks)

  1. A greasy secretion with a powerful odour, produced in a glandular sac of the male musk deer and used in the manufacture of perfumes.
  2. A similar secretion produced by the otter and the civet.
  3. A synthetic organic compound used as a substitute for the above.
  4. The odour of musk.
  5. The musk deer (genus Moschus).
  6. The musk plant (Mimulus moschatus).
  7. A plant of the genus Erodium (Erodium moschatum); the musky heronsbill.
  8. A plant of the genus Muscari; grape hyacinth.
  9. (slang, colloquial, vulgar) The scent of human genitalia when aroused or unwashed, especially that of a man.
    I was so excited I could smell my own musk.

Related terms

Translations

Verb

musk ‎(third-person singular simple present musks, present participle musking, simple past and past participle musked)

  1. (transitive) To perfume with musk.

References

  1. ↑ Webster's New World College Dictionary, Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.

Etymology

From Old French musc, from Late Latin muscus, from Ancient Greek μόσχος ‎(móskhos), from Middle Persian *mušk; compare Persian مشک ‎(mušk). 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”).[1]

Pronunciation

  • (UK) IPA(key): /mʌsk/
  • Rhymes: -ʌsk

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