house mouse

American  

noun

1. a brownish-gray Old World mouse, Mus musculus, now common in the U.S. in or near houses.

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house mouse British  

noun

1. any of various greyish mice of the Old World genus Mus, esp M. musculus, a common household pest in most parts of the world: family Muridae

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Etymology

Origin of house mouse

First recorded in 1825–35

Example Sentences

Rajnarayanan added that recent reports of avian flu in domestic cats and house mice “are certainly worrisome.”

From Salon

Through comparative analysis, the team showed that similar specialized gene expression patterns are also employed by other animals -- including the house mouse -- during diapause.

From Science Daily

Undisturbed, at least, until stowaway house mice arrived on seal hunter ships in the early 1800s, introducing the island’s first mammal predators.

From Seattle Times

Estrildid finch songs, Japanese quail calls, squirrel monkey caws and even the ultrasonic vocalizations of house mice were used for comparison in the study.

From Salon

The list includes horses, domestic cattle, African and Asian elephants, house mice, and, yes, chimps.

From Science Magazine