murex

[ myoor-eks ]

noun

, plural mu·ri·ces [myoor, -, uh, -seez], mu·rex·es.

1. any marine gastropod of the genus Murex, common in tropical seas, certain species of which yield the royal purple dye valued by the ancients.
2. a shell used as a trumpet, as in representations of Tritons in art.
3. purplish red.

murex

/ ˈmjʊərɛks /

noun

1. any of various spiny-shelled marine gastropods of the genus Murex and related genera: formerly used as a source of the dye Tyrian purple

Word History and Origins

Origin of murex¹

1580–90; < New Latin, Latin mūrex the shellfish that yielded Tyrian purple dye

Word History and Origins

Origin of murex¹

C16: from Latin mūrex purple fish; related to Greek muax sea mussel

Example Sentences

He says that Tarentine muslins, woven from the filaments of the pinna dipped in the dye of the murex, rivalled those of Cos.

From Project Gutenberg

They eat turtle and drink claret, but who fished up the murex?

From Project Gutenberg

None of the Murex family are common, and they are seldom found alive.

From Project Gutenberg

Trigonia and Inoceramus are found in almost all the zones: other forms less widely distributed are Murex and Turritella.

From Project Gutenberg

The second wife of Hugh de Sade never stirred the pool of ink from which Petrarch fished his murex up.

From Project Gutenberg