"mous" meaning in Middle English

See mous in All languages combined, or Wiktionary

Noun

IPA: /muːs/ Forms: mys [plural], mouse [alternative], mowse [alternative], mows [alternative], mus [alternative], mowce [alternative], muse [alternative]
Rhymes: -uːs Etymology: From Old English mūs, from Proto-West Germanic *mūs, from Proto-Germanic *mūs, from Proto-Indo-European *múHs. Etymology templates: {{ety|enm|:inh|ang:mūs}} [Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "status" : "ok", "lang_name" : "Proto-Germanic", "term" : "*mūs", "lang" : "gem-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Proto-West Germanic", "term" : "*mūs", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "gmw-pro" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Old English", "term" : "mūs", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "ang" } ], "keyword_label" : "Inherited from", "keyword" : "inherited" } ], "lang_name" : "Middle English", "term" : "mous", "status" : "ok", "lang" : "enm" }" data-lang="enm" data-title="mous">, {{inh|enm|ang|mūs}} Old English mūs, {{inh|enm|gmw-pro|*mūs}} Proto-West Germanic *mūs, {{inh|enm|gem-pro|*mūs}} Proto-Germanic *mūs, {{inh|enm|ine-pro|*múHs}} Proto-Indo-European *múHs Head templates: {{head|enm|noun|g=|g2=|g3=|head=|sort=}} mous, {{enm-noun|pl=mys}} mous (plural mys)
  1. mouse or shrew (small rodent)
    Sense id: en-mous-enm-noun-nN2ZVfAw Categories (other): Pages with 5 entries, Middle English entries with etymon, Pages using etymon with no ID, Pages with etymon, Mammals, Rodents Disambiguation of Pages with 5 entries: 32 37 12 10 10 Disambiguation of Middle English entries with etymon: 37 26 37 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 33 39 28 Disambiguation of Pages with etymon: 37 32 31 Disambiguation of Mammals: 86 6 8 Disambiguation of Rodents: 86 6 7
  2. (figurative) A coward; one lacking courage. Tags: figuratively
    Sense id: en-mous-enm-noun-d9N-UWVk Categories (other): Middle English entries with etymon, Pages using etymon with no ID, Pages with etymon Disambiguation of Middle English entries with etymon: 37 26 37 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 33 39 28 Disambiguation of Pages with etymon: 37 32 31
  3. (figurative) A feeble or unimportant individual. Tags: figuratively
    Sense id: en-mous-enm-noun-u56tOEMV Categories (other): Middle English entries with etymon, Middle English entries with incorrect language header, Pages using etymon with no ID, Pages with etymon, People Disambiguation of Middle English entries with etymon: 37 26 37 Disambiguation of Middle English entries with incorrect language header: 33 24 43 Disambiguation of Pages using etymon with no ID: 33 39 28 Disambiguation of Pages with etymon: 37 32 31 Disambiguation of People: 0 0 100
The following are not (yet) sense-disambiguated
Related terms: mousen, mousere, mouspese, reremous

Inflected forms

Alternative forms

{
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "mouse"
    },
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "moose"
    },
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "muss"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Scots",
      "lang_code": "sco",
      "word": "moose"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "ang:mūs"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*mūs\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*mūs\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"mūs\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"mous\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" }\" data-lang=\"enm\" data-title=\"mous\">",
      "name": "ety"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "mūs"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English mūs",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*mūs"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *mūs",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*mūs"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *mūs",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*múHs"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *múHs",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Old English mūs, from Proto-West Germanic *mūs, from Proto-Germanic *mūs, from Proto-Indo-European *múHs.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "mys",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "mouse",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "mowse",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "mows",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "mus",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "mowce",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "muse",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "noun",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "mous",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "pl": "mys"
      },
      "expansion": "mous (plural mys)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "mousen"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "mousere"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "mouspese"
    },
    {
      "_dis1": "0 0 0",
      "word": "reremous"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "32 37 12 10 10",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with 5 entries",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "37 26 37",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 39 28",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "37 32 31",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "86 6 8",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Mammals",
          "orig": "enm:Mammals",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "86 6 7",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "Rodents",
          "orig": "enm:Rodents",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "mouse or shrew (small rodent)"
      ],
      "id": "en-mous-enm-noun-nN2ZVfAw",
      "links": [
        [
          "mouse",
          "mouse#English"
        ],
        [
          "shrew",
          "shrew#English"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "37 26 37",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 39 28",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "37 32 31",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A coward; one lacking courage."
      ],
      "id": "en-mous-enm-noun-d9N-UWVk",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figurative) A coward; one lacking courage."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    },
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "_dis": "37 26 37",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 24 43",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "33 39 28",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages using etymon with no ID",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "37 32 31",
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Pages with etymon",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        },
        {
          "_dis": "0 0 100",
          "kind": "other",
          "langcode": "enm",
          "name": "People",
          "orig": "enm:People",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w+disamb"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "A feeble or unimportant individual."
      ],
      "id": "en-mous-enm-noun-u56tOEMV",
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figurative) A feeble or unimportant individual."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/muːs/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-uːs"
    }
  ],
  "word": "mous"
}
{
  "categories": [
    "Middle English consonant stem nouns",
    "Middle English entries with etymon",
    "Middle English entries with incorrect language header",
    "Middle English lemmas",
    "Middle English nouns",
    "Middle English terms derived from Old English",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-Germanic",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-Indo-European",
    "Middle English terms derived from Proto-West Germanic",
    "Middle English terms derived from the Proto-Indo-European word *múHs",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Old English",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Proto-Germanic",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Proto-Indo-European",
    "Middle English terms inherited from Proto-West Germanic",
    "Pages using etymon with no ID",
    "Pages with 5 entries",
    "Pages with entries",
    "Pages with etymon",
    "Rhymes:Middle English/uːs",
    "Rhymes:Middle English/uːs/1 syllable",
    "enm:Mammals",
    "enm:People",
    "enm:Rodents"
  ],
  "descendants": [
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "mouse"
    },
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "moose"
    },
    {
      "lang": "English",
      "lang_code": "en",
      "word": "muss"
    },
    {
      "lang": "Scots",
      "lang_code": "sco",
      "word": "moose"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": ":inh",
        "3": "ang:mūs"
      },
      "expansion": "[Appendix:Glossary#inherited|Inherited]] from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*mūs\", \"lang\" : \"gem-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Proto-West Germanic\", \"term\" : \"*mūs\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"gmw-pro\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Old English\", \"term\" : \"mūs\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"ang\" } ], \"keyword_label\" : \"Inherited from\", \"keyword\" : \"inherited\" } ], \"lang_name\" : \"Middle English\", \"term\" : \"mous\", \"status\" : \"ok\", \"lang\" : \"enm\" }\" data-lang=\"enm\" data-title=\"mous\">",
      "name": "ety"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ang",
        "3": "mūs"
      },
      "expansion": "Old English mūs",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gmw-pro",
        "3": "*mūs"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-West Germanic *mūs",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "gem-pro",
        "3": "*mūs"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Germanic *mūs",
      "name": "inh"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "ine-pro",
        "3": "*múHs"
      },
      "expansion": "Proto-Indo-European *múHs",
      "name": "inh"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "From Old English mūs, from Proto-West Germanic *mūs, from Proto-Germanic *mūs, from Proto-Indo-European *múHs.",
  "forms": [
    {
      "form": "mys",
      "tags": [
        "plural"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "mouse",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "mowse",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "mows",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "mus",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "mowce",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    },
    {
      "form": "muse",
      "tags": [
        "alternative"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "enm",
        "2": "noun",
        "g": "",
        "g2": "",
        "g3": "",
        "head": "",
        "sort": ""
      },
      "expansion": "mous",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "pl": "mys"
      },
      "expansion": "mous (plural mys)",
      "name": "enm-noun"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "Middle English",
  "lang_code": "enm",
  "pos": "noun",
  "related": [
    {
      "word": "mousen"
    },
    {
      "word": "mousere"
    },
    {
      "word": "mouspese"
    },
    {
      "word": "reremous"
    }
  ],
  "senses": [
    {
      "glosses": [
        "mouse or shrew (small rodent)"
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "mouse",
          "mouse#English"
        ],
        [
          "shrew",
          "shrew#English"
        ]
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A coward; one lacking courage."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figurative) A coward; one lacking courage."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    },
    {
      "glosses": [
        "A feeble or unimportant individual."
      ],
      "raw_glosses": [
        "(figurative) A feeble or unimportant individual."
      ],
      "tags": [
        "figuratively"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "sounds": [
    {
      "ipa": "/muːs/"
    },
    {
      "rhymes": "-uːs"
    }
  ],
  "word": "mous"
}

Download raw JSONL data for mous meaning in Middle English (3.7kB)


This page is a part of the kaikki.org machine-readable Middle English dictionary. This dictionary is based on structured data extracted on 2026-07-20 from the enwiktionary dump dated 2026-07-06 using wiktextract (b70b34c and e7887d5). The data shown on this site has been post-processed and various details (e.g., extra categories) removed, some information disambiguated, and additional data merged from other sources. See the raw data download page for the unprocessed wiktextract data.

If you use this data in academic research, please cite Tatu Ylonen: Wiktextract: Wiktionary as Machine-Readable Structured Data, Proceedings of the 13th Conference on Language Resources and Evaluation (LREC), pp. 1317-1325, Marseille, 20-25 June 2022. Linking to the relevant page(s) under https://kaikki.org would also be greatly appreciated.