musa

See also: Appendix:Variations of "musa"

Asturian

Etymology

From Latin mūsa, from Ancient Greek Μοῦσα (Moûsa, “Muse”).

Noun

musa f (plural muses)

1. muse (source of inspiration)

Related terms

• muséu
• música

Catalan

Etymology 1

Borrowed from Latin mūsa, from Ancient Greek Μοῦσα (Moûsa, “Muse”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic) [ˈmu.zə]
• IPA^(key): (Valencia) [ˈmu.za]

Noun

musa f (plural muses)

1. muse (source of inspiration)

Related terms

• museu
• música

Further reading

• “musa”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana [Dictionary of the Catalan Language] (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies [Catalan: Institut d'Estudis Catalans], April 2007

Etymology 2

Verb

musa

1. inflection of musar:
   1. third-person singular present indicative
   2. second-person singular imperative

Ese

Noun

musa

1. (anatomy) breast

Esperanto

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmusa/
• Rhymes: -usa
• Syllabification: mu‧sa

Adjective

musa (accusative singular musan, plural musaj, accusative plural musajn)

1. murine

Hypernyms

• ronĝula (“rodential”)

Related terms

• muso (“mouse”)

Finnish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmusɑ/, [ˈmus̠ɑ̝]
• Rhymes: -usɑ
• Syllabification^(key): mu‧sa
• Hyphenation^(key): mu‧sa

Etymology 1

Clipping of musiikki (“music”) +‎ -sa.

Noun

musa (informal)

1. music

   Synonyms: see musiikki

Declension

Inflection of musa (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)
nominative		musa	musat
genitive		musan	musien
partitive		musaa	musia
illative		musaan	musiin
		singular	plural
nominative		musa	musat
accusative	nom.	musa	musat
	gen.	musan
genitive		musan	musien musain rare
partitive		musaa	musia
inessive		musassa	musissa
elative		musasta	musista
illative		musaan	musiin
adessive		musalla	musilla
ablative		musalta	musilta
allative		musalle	musille
essive		musana	musina
translative		musaksi	musiksi
abessive		musatta	musitta
instructive		—	musin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of musa (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative musani musani accusative nom. musani musani gen. musani genitive musani musieni musaini rare partitive musaani musiani inessive musassani musissani elative musastani musistani illative musaani musiini adessive musallani musillani ablative musaltani musiltani allative musalleni musilleni essive musanani musinani translative musakseni musikseni abessive musattani musittani instructive — — comitative — musineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative musasi musasi accusative nom. musasi musasi gen. musasi genitive musasi musiesi musaisi rare partitive musaasi musiasi inessive musassasi musissasi elative musastasi musistasi illative musaasi musiisi adessive musallasi musillasi ablative musaltasi musiltasi allative musallesi musillesi essive musanasi musinasi translative musaksesi musiksesi abessive musattasi musittasi instructive — — comitative — musinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative musamme musamme accusative nom. musamme musamme gen. musamme genitive musamme musiemme musaimme rare partitive musaamme musiamme inessive musassamme musissamme elative musastamme musistamme illative musaamme musiimme adessive musallamme musillamme ablative musaltamme musiltamme allative musallemme musillemme essive musanamme musinamme translative musaksemme musiksemme abessive musattamme musittamme instructive — — comitative — musinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative musanne musanne accusative nom. musanne musanne gen. musanne genitive musanne musienne musainne rare partitive musaanne musianne inessive musassanne musissanne elative musastanne musistanne illative musaanne musiinne adessive musallanne musillanne ablative musaltanne musiltanne allative musallenne musillenne essive musananne musinanne translative musaksenne musiksenne abessive musattanne musittanne instructive — — comitative — musinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative musansa musansa accusative nom. musansa musansa gen. musansa genitive musansa musiensa musainsa rare partitive musaansa musiaan musiansa inessive musassaan musassansa musissaan musissansa elative musastaan musastansa musistaan musistansa illative musaansa musiinsa adessive musallaan musallansa musillaan musillansa ablative musaltaan musaltansa musiltaan musiltansa allative musalleen musallensa musilleen musillensa essive musanaan musanansa musinaan musinansa translative musakseen musaksensa musikseen musiksensa abessive musattaan musattansa musittaan musittansa instructive — — comitative — musineen musinensa

Derived terms

compounds

• etnomusa
• gospelmusa
• hevimusa
• jytämusa
• musamaku
• teknomusa

Further reading

• “musa”, in Kielitoimiston sanakirja [Dictionary of Contemporary Finnish]‎^[1] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, continuously updated), Kotimaisten kielten keskuksen verkkojulkaisuja 35, Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten tutkimuskeskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2004–, retrieved 18 September 2023

Etymology 2

Perhaps from Swedish mos (“mash”) in the sense of "gravel", originally to mean "(state of being) broken". The sense "stone, rock" is found both in dialects and Helsinki slang.

Noun

musa

1. (colloquial, idiomatic) (state of being) broken

   Alternative forms: mosa, mäsä, musu

   Synonyms: see rikki

   olla musana ― to be broken

2. (dialectal or dated Helsinki slang) rock, stone

   Alternative form: mosa

   Synonyms: see kivi

3. (dialectal) bump

   Alternative form: mosa

   Synonyms: see möykky

Declension

Inflection of musa (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)
nominative		musa	musat
genitive		musan	musien
partitive		musaa	musia
illative		musaan	musiin
		singular	plural
nominative		musa	musat
accusative	nom.	musa	musat
	gen.	musan
genitive		musan	musien musain rare
partitive		musaa	musia
inessive		musassa	musissa
elative		musasta	musista
illative		musaan	musiin
adessive		musalla	musilla
ablative		musalta	musilta
allative		musalle	musille
essive		musana	musina
translative		musaksi	musiksi
abessive		musatta	musitta
instructive		—	musin
comitative		See the possessive forms below.

Possessive forms of musa (Kotus type 10/koira, no gradation)

first-person singular possessor singular plural nominative musani musani accusative nom. musani musani gen. musani genitive musani musieni musaini rare partitive musaani musiani inessive musassani musissani elative musastani musistani illative musaani musiini adessive musallani musillani ablative musaltani musiltani allative musalleni musilleni essive musanani musinani translative musakseni musikseni abessive musattani musittani instructive — — comitative — musineni second-person singular possessor singular plural nominative musasi musasi accusative nom. musasi musasi gen. musasi genitive musasi musiesi musaisi rare partitive musaasi musiasi inessive musassasi musissasi elative musastasi musistasi illative musaasi musiisi adessive musallasi musillasi ablative musaltasi musiltasi allative musallesi musillesi essive musanasi musinasi translative musaksesi musiksesi abessive musattasi musittasi instructive — — comitative — musinesi first-person plural possessor singular plural nominative musamme musamme accusative nom. musamme musamme gen. musamme genitive musamme musiemme musaimme rare partitive musaamme musiamme inessive musassamme musissamme elative musastamme musistamme illative musaamme musiimme adessive musallamme musillamme ablative musaltamme musiltamme allative musallemme musillemme essive musanamme musinamme translative musaksemme musiksemme abessive musattamme musittamme instructive — — comitative — musinemme second-person plural possessor singular plural nominative musanne musanne accusative nom. musanne musanne gen. musanne genitive musanne musienne musainne rare partitive musaanne musianne inessive musassanne musissanne elative musastanne musistanne illative musaanne musiinne adessive musallanne musillanne ablative musaltanne musiltanne allative musallenne musillenne essive musananne musinanne translative musaksenne musiksenne abessive musattanne musittanne instructive — — comitative — musinenne third-person possessor singular plural nominative musansa musansa accusative nom. musansa musansa gen. musansa genitive musansa musiensa musainsa rare partitive musaansa musiaan musiansa inessive musassaan musassansa musissaan musissansa elative musastaan musastansa musistaan musistansa illative musaansa musiinsa adessive musallaan musallansa musillaan musillansa ablative musaltaan musaltansa musiltaan musiltansa allative musalleen musallensa musilleen musillensa essive musanaan musanansa musinaan musinansa translative musakseen musaksensa musikseen musiksensa abessive musattaan musattansa musittaan musittansa instructive — — comitative — musineen musinensa

Derived terms

• musari (“rock, stone”, Helsinki slang)

References

• Forsberg, Ulla-Maija (2021), Stadin slangin etymologinen sanakirja [Etymological Dictionary of Helsinki Slang]‎^[2] (in Finnish) (online version; note: also includes other etymological sources; this source is labeled "SSES 2021"), Helsinki: Gaudeamus, →ISBN
• “musa”, in Suomen murteiden sanakirja [Dictionary of Finnish Dialects]‎^[3] (in Finnish) (online dictionary, incomplete, continuously updated), Helsinki: Kotimaisten kielten keskus (Institute for the Languages of Finland), 2022, →ISSN.

Anagrams

• Samu, masu, suma, usma

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /my.za/
• Homophones: musas, musât

Verb

musa

1. third-person singular past historic of muser

Anagrams

• muas, SAMU

Galician

Etymology

From Latin mūsa, from Ancient Greek Μοῦσα (Moûsa, “Muse”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmusa/ [ˈmu.s̺ɐ]
• Rhymes: -usa
• Hyphenation: mu‧sa

Noun

musa f (plural musas)

1. muse (source of inspiration)

Related terms

• museo
• música

Further reading

• “musa”, in Dicionario da Real Academia Galega (in Galician), A Coruña: Royal Galician Academy, 2012–2026

Italian

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmu.za/
• Homophone: Musa
• Rhymes: -uza
• Hyphenation: mù‧sa

Etymology 1

Derived from Latin mūsa/Mūsa, from Ancient Greek μοῦσα (moûsa)/Μοῦσα (Moûsa).

Noun

musa f (plural muse)

1. (Greek mythology, usually capitalized) Muse
   • 1472, Dante Alighieri, La divina commedia: Inferno [The Divine Comedy: Hell], 12th edition (paperback), Le Monnier, published 1994, Canto II, page 21, lines 7–9:

     O muse, o alto ingegno, or m'aiutate; ¶ o mente che scrivesti ciò ch'io vidi, ¶ qui si parrà la tua nobilitate. […]

     O Muses, O high genius, now assist me! ¶ O memory, that didst write down what I saw, ¶ here thy nobility shall be manifest!

   • 1581, Torquato Tasso, Gerusalemme liberata [Jerusalem Delivered]‎^[4], Erasmo Viotti, Canto I, page 2:

     O Muſa, tu, che di caduchi allori ¶ non circondi la fronte in Elicona ¶ ma sù nel cielo infra beati chori ¶ hai di ſtelle immortali aurea corona […]

     O Muse, you who don't encircle your head with caducous laurel in Helicon, but instead, among blessed choirs up in the sky, have a golden crown of immortal stars […]

   • 1822, Ippolito Pindemonte, transl., Odissea [Odyssey]‎^[5], translation of Ὀδύσσεια (Odýsseia) by Homer, Book I, page 1:

     Musa, quell’uom di moltiforme ingegno ¶ dimmi, che molto errò, poich’ebbe a terra ¶ gittate d’Iliòn le sacre torri; […]

     O Muse, tell me about that man of multiform ingenuity, that much wandered after bringing down the sacred towers of Troy […]

2. (figurative)
   1. poetic inspiration
   2. (by extension) poetry
   3. poet

Etymology 2

Derived from Late Latin musa, from Arabic مَوْزَة (mawza).

Noun

musa f (plural muse)

1. the Musa taxonomic genus

Anagrams

• suma

Latin

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): [ˈmuː.sa]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): [ˈmuː.s̬a]

Etymology 1

From Ancient Greek μοῦσα (moûsa). Akin to mēns (“mind, reason”).

Noun

mūsa f (genitive mūsae); first declension

1. song, poem
2. (in the plural) studies, sciences

Declension

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	mūsa	mūsae
genitive	mūsae	mūsārum
dative	mūsae	mūsīs
accusative	mūsam	mūsās
ablative	mūsā	mūsīs
vocative	mūsa	mūsae

Related terms

• Mūsa

References

• "musa", in Charles du Fresne du Cange, Glossarium Mediæ et Infimæ Latinitatis (augmented edition with additions by D. P. Carpenterius, Adelungius and others, edited by Léopold Favre, 1883–1887)
• “musa”, in Harry Thurston Peck, editor (1898), Harper’s Dictionary of Classical Antiquities, New York: Harper & Brothers
• “musa”, in William Smith, editor (1848), A Dictionary of Greek and Roman Biography and Mythology, London: John Murray

Etymology 2

From Arabic مَوْزَة (mawza), singulative of مَوْز (mawz). Attested in Latin since the 14th century.

Noun

mūsa f (genitive mūsae); first declension

1. (Medieval Latin) banana
   • 14th century, Symon Semeonis, Itinerarium Symonis Semeonis ab Hybernia ad Terram Sanctam 40:

     Non enim sunt arboris poma, sed cujusdam herbe in altum crescentis ad modum arboris, que musa appellatur; cujus folia in figura et colore foliis cujusdam herbe, que anglice dicitur radigche, multumque assimilantur, quamvis in longitudine et latitudine illa multum excedant.

     They're not fruit from a tree, but from a plant that grows up in the manner of the trees, called the musa. In terms of shape and colour, its leaves resemble very much those of a plant that the English call radigche [radish], although they exceed these a lot in both length and width.

Declension

First-declension noun.

	singular	plural
nominative	mūsa	mūsae
genitive	mūsae	mūsārum
dative	mūsae	mūsīs
accusative	mūsam	mūsās
ablative	mūsā	mūsīs
vocative	mūsa	mūsae

Synonyms

• ariēna (classical)
• banana (New Latin)

Descendants

• Translingual: Musa
• Sicilian: musa
• → English: Musa

References

• "musa". Dictionary of Medieval Latin from British Sources.

Norwegian Bokmål

Alternative forms

• musen m sg

Noun

musa f sg

1. definite feminine singular of mus

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

musa f sg

1. definite feminine singular of mus

Occitan

Etymology

From Latin mūsa, from Ancient Greek Μοῦσα (Moûsa, “Muse”).

Pronunciation

• Audio (Béarn):

  (file)

Noun

musa f (plural musas)

1. muse (source of inspiration)

Old English

Noun

mūsa

1. genitive plural of mūs

Phuthi

Etymology

From Proto-Nguni *úmusá.

Noun

musa^? class 3

1. kindness

Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Portuguese

Musas

Etymology

Learned borrowing from Latin mūsa, from Ancient Greek Μοῦσα (Moûsa, “Muse”).

Pronunciation

 

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈmu.zɐ/

• (Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈmu.zɐ/
  • (Southern Brazil) IPA^(key): /ˈmu.za/

• (Portugal) IPA^(key): /ˈmu.zɐ/

• Rhymes: -uzɐ
• Hyphenation: mu‧sa

Noun

musa f (plural musas)

1. Muse
2. muse (a source of inspiration)

   Synonym: inspiração

3. a poet's creative and poetic genius

Related terms

• museu
• música

Further reading

• “musa”, in Dicionário Aulete Digital (in Portuguese), Rio de Janeiro: Lexikon Editora Digital, 2008–2026
• “musa”, in Dicionário infopédia da Lingua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Porto: Porto Editora, 2003–2026
• “musa”, in Michaelis Dicionário Brasileiro da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), São Paulo: Editora Melhoramentos, 2015–2026, →ISBN
• “musa”, in Dicionário Priberam da Língua Portuguesa (in Portuguese), Lisbon: Priberam, 2008–2026

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈmusa/ [ˈmu.sa]
• Rhymes: -usa
• Syllabification: mu‧sa

Etymology 1

From Latin mūsa, from Ancient Greek Μοῦσα (Moûsa).

Noun

musa f (plural musas)

1. Muse
2. muse (a source of inspiration)

   Synonyms: inspiración, numen

3. a poet's creative and poetic genius
4. (literary) poetry

   Synonym: poesía

Related terms

• museo
• música

Etymology 2

Verb

musa

1. only used in me musa, first-person singular present subjunctive of musirse
2. only used in se musa, third-person singular present subjunctive of musirse
3. only used in se ... musa, syntactic variant of músase, third-person singular imperative of musirse

Further reading

• “musa”, in Diccionario de la lengua española [Dictionary of the Spanish Language] (in Spanish), online version 23.8.1, Royal Spanish Academy [Spanish: Real Academia Española], 15 December 2025

Xhosa

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Interjection

musa (to one person, to multiple people musani)

1. (with infinitive) don't

Zulu

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /mʱúːsa/

Interjection

musa (to one person, to multiple people musani)

1. (with infinitive) don't

   Synonym: kahle

References

• C. M. Doke; B. W. Vilakazi (1972), “musa”, in Zulu-English Dictionary, →ISBN: “musa (6-3.9)”