English
murex
Murex comes from Latin murex ‘a sharp murex shell used as a bridle bit’.
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmurex‘a sharp murex shell used as a bridle bit’
- Englishearliest quotation 1907same form
attested reconstructed ? uncertain or disputed
Earlier history uncertain.
Lineage
- Latinc. 75 BCE–200 CEmurex‘a sharp murex shell used as a bridle bit’
- Englishearliest quotation 1907same form
Earliest quotation: 1907, Ronald M. Burrows, The Discoveries In Crete: “The bank of crushed murex shell that Professor Bosanquet…”
Linked words
through Proto-Indo-European *múHs ‘mouse’
mouse, mice, myelin, myocardium, 15 more
through Latin mūs ‘mouse’
Today it means
noun Any member of the genus Murex of marine gastropods.
Language periods are conventional ranges, not dates for this word.
Etymograph / Latin murex / murex