mouse
UK[maʊs]US[maʊs]
n
A small rodent with a pointed snout, small rounded ears, and a long, nearly hairless tail
n
A small hand-operated device that controls the cursor on a computer screen
Etymology
The word "mouse" has a remarkably ancient and stable lineage, tracing back to the Proto-Indo-European root mus-, meaning "mouse, muscle." This root gave rise to similar words across many Indo-European languages, including Latin "mus," Greek "mys," and Sanskrit "mus." The semantic connection to the modern rodent is direct and unchanged for millennia. The application of the word to a computer pointing device, coined in the 1960s, is a metaphorical extension based on the device's shape, size, and trailing "tail" (the cord), elegantly linking ancient terminology to modern technology.
Analysis
This is a simplex word of Germanic origin. The modern English form derives directly from the Old English word "mus" (plural "mys"), which referred to the rodent.
Examples
The cat sat perfectly still, watching the mouse scurry along the skirting board.
To open the program, double-click the icon with the left button on your mouse.
Scientists often use the mouse as a model organism in genetic research.