musk
Americannoun
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a substance secreted in a glandular sac under the skin of the abdomen of the male musk deer, having a strong odor, and used in perfumery.
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an artificial imitation of the substance.
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a similar secretion of other animals, as the civet, muskrat, and otter.
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the odor of musk or some similar odor.
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Botany. any of several plants, as the monkey flower, having a musky fragrance.
noun
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a strong-smelling glandular secretion of the male musk deer, used in perfumery
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a similar substance produced by certain other animals, such as the civet and otter, or manufactured synthetically
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any of several scrophulariaceous plants of the genus Mimulus, esp the North American M. moschatus, which has yellow flowers and was formerly cultivated for its musky scent See also monkey flower
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the smell of musk or a similar heady smell
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(modifier) containing or resembling musk
musk oil
a musk flavour
Etymology
Origin of musk
1350–1400; Middle English musk ( e ) (< Middle French musc ) < Late Latin muscus ( Medieval Latin moschus ) < Late Greek móskos, móschos < Persian mushk
Vocabulary lists containing musk
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
According to the Justice Department, Do and an accomplice tried to export 292 loggerhead musk turtles to Taiwan.
From Los Angeles Times • May 16, 2026
The patrolmen are equipped with rifles and handguns, to be used as a last resort against angry polar bears and musk ox.
From Barron's • Jan. 28, 2026
To make it happen, the firm turned to Google Cloud, which sent a handful of AI engineers armed with Gemini models to spend a day sniffing floral musk, and then managed to crack the code.
From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 2, 2025
“Did elon musk just hit the roman salute at his inauguration speech?”
From Salon • Jan. 21, 2025
She had an interesting, slightly sweaty smell that reminded me of those scallopy leaves of sweet fern you break off and crush between your fingers for the musk of them.
From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
