plural mice
ˈmīs 
1
: any of numerous small rodents (as of the genus Mus) with pointed snout, rather small ears, elongated body, and slender tail
2
plural also mouses
: a small mobile manual device that controls movement of the cursor and selection of functions on a computer display
3
: a timid person
4
: a dark-colored swelling caused by a blow
specifically
: black eye
moused; mousing
1
: to search for carefully
—usually used with out
see also:
Examples of mouse in a Sentence
Noun
The house was infested with mice and rats.
He moved the mouse to click on the icon.
Verb
a cat mousing along in the shadows of the garden
Recent Examples on the Web
Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
In lean mice and minipigs, a single intramuscular injection of BRP before feeding cut food intake by up to 50% within one hour.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026
Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
Keeping the keyboard and mouse close to avoid overreaching.
Taking a brief movement or stretching break every 30 to 60 minutes.
—Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mouse
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Noun
People typically get hantavirus from contact with rodents like rats and mice—normally when exposed to their urine, droppings and saliva, or sometimes through a bite or scratch—but officials say no rodents have been found on the MV Hondius ship.
—Mary Whitfill Roeloffs, Forbes.com, 11 June 2026
In lean mice and minipigs, a single intramuscular injection of BRP before feeding cut food intake by up to 50% within one hour.
—Allison Palmer, Miami Herald, 11 June 2026
Verb
Police continued searching the home and found rat and mouse feces throughout, rotting food on the kitchen counter covered with flies and other bugs, and maggots in standing water in the kitchen sink.
—Christine Pelisek, PEOPLE, 1 June 2026
Keeping the keyboard and mouse close to avoid overreaching.
Taking a brief movement or stretching break every 30 to 60 minutes.
—Mira Miller, Verywell Health, 18 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for mouse
Cite this Entry
“Mouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mouse. Accessed 14 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
mouse
1 of 2 noun
plural mice
ˈmīs
1
: any of numerous small rodents with pointed snout, rather small ears, and a slender usually nearly hairless tail
2
: a person without spirit or courage
3
: a small hand-operated device used for computer input (as to control cursor movement on the display screen)
mouse
2 of 2 verb
moused; mousing
1
: to hunt mice
2
: to search or move slyly and carefully (as a cat hunting mice)
3
: to search for carefully
mouse out a scandal
Medical Definition
mouse
noun
plural mice
ˈmīs
1
: any of numerous small rodents with pointed snout, rather small ears, elongated body, and slender hairless or sparsely haired tail, including all the smaller members of the genus Mus (as the medically significant house mouse, M. musculus) and many members of other rodent genera and families having little more in common than their relatively small size
2
: a dark-colored swelling caused by a blow
specifically
: black eye
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