murex
[ myoor-eks ]
/ ˈmyʊər ɛks /
noun, plural mu·ri·ces [myoor-uh-seez], /ˈmyʊər əˌsiz/, mu·rex·es.
any marine gastropod of the genus Murex, common in tropical seas, certain species of which yield the royal purple dye valued by the ancients.
a shell used as a trumpet, as in representations of Tritons in art.
purplish red.
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Origin of murex
1580–90; <New Latin, Latin mūrex the shellfish that yielded Tyrian purple dye
Words nearby murex
Murdoch, murdrum, mure, murein, Mures, murex, murexide, murexide test, Murfreesboro, murgeon, Murghob
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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020
Example sentences from the Web for murex
British Dictionary definitions for murex
murex
/ (ˈmjʊərɛks) /
noun plural murices (ˈmjʊərɪˌsiːz)
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 Origin for murex
C16: from Latin mūrex purple fish; related to Greek muax sea mussel
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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