See also: Moose

English [ edit ]

A moose.

Pronunciation [ edit ]

enPR: mo͞os , IPA (key) : /muːs/

, IPA : Audio (US)

Audio (AU)

Rhymes: -uːs

Homophone: mousse

Etymology 1 [ edit ]

Earlier mus, moos, from a Northeastern Algonquian language name for the animal, such as Massachusett moos, mws, Narragansett moos or Penobscot mos (cognate to Abenaki moz), from Proto-Algonquian *mo·swa (“it strips”), referring to how a moose strips tree bark when feeding: compare Massachusett moos-u (“he strips, cuts smooth”).[1][2]

Noun [ edit ]

moose (plural moose or (dated) mooses or (nonstandard) meese)

( US , Canada ) The largest member of the deer family ( Alces americanus Alces alces), of which the male has very large, palmate antlers. We saw a moose at the edge of the woods. ( informal ) An ugly person.

Usage notes [ edit ]

The usual plural of moose is moose; compare the names of many animals, such as deer and fish, which are also invariant. Other plurals are rare and nonstandard: mooses (with the usual English plural-forming suffix -s) and meese (jocularly formed by analogy to goose → geese).[3]

Synonyms [ edit ]

( largest member of the deer family (Alces americanus) ) : elk ( British ) , Newfoundland speed bump ( Canadian , humorous )

Derived terms [ edit ]

Descendants [ edit ]

→ Irish: mús

Irish: → Khmer: មូហ្ស ( muuhsɑɑ )

Khmer: → Korean: 무스 ( museu )

Korean: → Persian: موس ( mūs ) → Arabic: مُوظ ( mūẓ )

Persian: → Thai: มูส ( múus ) Thai: กวางมูส ( gwaang-mûut )

Thai:

Translations [ edit ]

See also [ edit ]

Etymology 2 [ edit ]

Japanese むすめ (“girl”).

Noun [ edit ]

moose

( US , military , slang ) An Asian girl taken as a lover. 2005 , Rupert Nelson, Like the Rings of a Tree (page 279) In military bases in the rear areas it was common for soldiers to have a moose .

, Rupert Nelson, (page 279) 2011, Michael Cullen Green, Black Yanks in the Pacific (page 75) Even the lowest ranked serviceman, because of his salary, benefits, and status as an American occupationaire, could afford to “maintain a 'Moose' and still take care of his other obligations.

References [ edit ]

Ojibwe [ edit ]

Noun [ edit ]

moose (plural mooseg)

Scots [ edit ]

moose

Etymology [ edit ]

From Middle English mous, from Old English mūs, from Proto-Germanic *mūs, from Proto-Indo-European *muh₂s.

Pronunciation [ edit ]

Noun [ edit ]

moose (plural mice)