muse

¹muse

verb \ˈmyüz\

musedmus·ing

Definition of MUSE

intransitive verb

1

: to become absorbed in thought; especially : to turn something over in the mind meditatively and often inconclusively

2

archaic : wonder, marvel

transitive verb

: to think or say reflectively

— mus·er noun

Examples of MUSE

1. I could sell the house, she mused, but then where would I go?

Origin of MUSE

Middle English, from Anglo-French muser to gape, idle, muse, from Old French *mus mouth of an animal, from Medieval Latin musus

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with MUSE

blues, booze, bruise, choose, cruise, cruse, Druze, flews, fuse, lose, Meuse, news, ooze, Ouse, roose, ruse, schmooze, snooze, trews, use, whose

²muse

noun

Definition of MUSE

: a state of deep thought or dreamy abstraction

First Known Use of MUSE

15th century

³muse

noun

Definition of MUSE

1

capitalized : any of the nine sister goddesses in Greek mythology presiding over song and poetry and the arts and sciences

2

: a source of inspiration; especially : a guiding genius

3

: poet

Origin of MUSE

Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin Musa, from Greek Mousa

First Known Use: 14th century

Other Mythology and Folklore Terms

elysian, fay, nimbus, phoenix