muscerda

Latin

Etymology

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

Pronunciation

• (Classical Latin) IPA^(key): /muːsˈker.da/, [muːs̠ˈkɛrd̪ä]
• (modern Italianate Ecclesiastical) IPA^(key): /muʃˈʃer.da/, [muʃˈʃɛrd̪ä]

Noun

mūscerda f (genitive mūscerdae); first declension

1. mouse-dropping
   • c. 77 CE – 79 CE, Pliny the Elder, Naturalis Historia 29.106:

     Alopecias replet fimi pecudum cinis cum oleo cyprio et melle, item ungularum muli vel mulae ex oleo myrteo, praeterea, ut Varro noster tradit, murinum fimum, quod ille muscerdas appellat, aut muscarum capita recentia prius folio ficulneo asperatas. alii sanguine muscarum utuntur, alii X diebus cinerem earum inlinunt cum cinere chartae vel ncuum ita, ut sit tertia portio emuscis; alii lacte mulierum cum brassica cinerem muscarum subigunt, quidam melle tantum. mulu animal minus docile existimatur minorisve intellectus; eo mirabilius est Olympiae sacro certamine nubes earum immolato tauro deo, quem Myioden vocant, extra territorium id abire.

2. (Can we verify⁽⁺⁾ this sense?) (in the plural) nonsense, bullshit

Declension

First-declension noun.

Case	Singular	Plural
Nominative	mūscerda	mūscerdae
Genitive	mūscerdae	mūscerdārum
Dative	mūscerdae	mūscerdīs
Accusative	mūscerdam	mūscerdās
Ablative	mūscerdā	mūscerdīs
Vocative	mūscerda	mūscerdae

References

• “muscerda”, in Charlton T. Lewis and Charles Short (1879) A Latin Dictionary, Oxford: Clarendon Press
• muscerda in Gaffiot, Félix (1934) Dictionnaire illustré latin-français, Hachette.