murex

noun

mu·​rex ˈmyu̇r-ˌeks How to pronounce murex (audio)
plural murices ˈmyu̇r-ə-ˌsēz How to pronounce murex (audio) or murexes
: any of a genus (Murex of the family Muricidae) of marine gastropod mollusks having a rough and often spiny shell, abounding in tropical seas, and yielding a purple dye

Examples of murex in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web As each murex produced only a few drops of precious mucus, the manufacture of commercial quantities of Tyrian purple required the harvesting of vast quantities of these creatures. Mark Woolmer, National Geographic, 24 Sep. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'murex.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

New Latin, from Latin, mollusk yielding a purple dye; akin to Greek myak-, myax mussel

First Known Use

1589, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of murex was in 1589

Dictionary Entries Near murex

Cite this Entry

“Murex.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/murex. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

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