murex

noun

mu·​rex ˈmyu̇r-ˌeks 

plural murices ˈmyu̇r-ə-ˌsēz  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

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