Muse Meaning: From Greek Goddesses to Quiet Thinking

Muse definition: three senses

A full definition of muse has to cover three uses, because the meaning of muse as a noun and as a verb grew from different roots.

1. One of the Muses. In Greek mythology, nine sister goddesses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, each linked to an art or field of knowledge. Calliope, for example, was the Muse of epic poetry.
2. A source of inspiration. A real person or thing that sparks creative work. An artist might call a partner, a child or even a coastline their muse.
3. To muse (verb). To think quietly and at length, or to say something in a reflective way. The noun musing means such a thought: "his late-night musings about life".

The nine Muses of Greek myth

Opening a long poem with a prayer to one of these sisters was so common it got its own name: invoking the Muse. The roles listed here were fixed by later writers; early sources are less precise.

Word history: one spelling, two roots

The noun comes from Greek mousa, the name of these goddesses, through Latin musa and Old French. Several familiar words grew from the same root. Music comes from a Greek phrase meaning the art of the Muses, and museum comes from mouseion, a place sacred to the Muses, later a centre of learning.

The verb muse came separately, from Old French muser, meaning to ponder, idle or loiter. Where that French verb came from is uncertain. Amuse grew from the same French verb and first meant to divert someone's attention, even to fool them, before it settled into the gentler sense of entertaining.

Muse meaning in slang and modern use

In casual talk, especially among artists and online, "my muse" means the person who inspires you, often someone you admire or have a crush on. A photographer might post a portrait captioned "my muse", and a friend might tease, "So she is your new muse, then?" Some creative writers also say their muse has left them when they cannot find ideas, a playful way of describing writer's block.

The phrase can sound romantic, but it is not always about love. A grandmother's kitchen, a rainy season or a favourite street can be a muse too.

Examples of muse in sentences

• The old harbour town was the muse for most of her watercolours.
• "I wonder what this place looked like a century ago," he mused as we walked.
• The essay opens with a short musing on why people keep diaries.
• The first line of the old epic asks a goddess of song to guide the storyteller.
• He sat on the balcony, musing over the job offer until it got dark.

How to use muse correctly

• Capitalise Muse when you mean one of the nine goddesses; use lowercase muse for an everyday source of inspiration.
• As a verb, muse often takes on, about or over: muse on the past, muse about a decision.
• Muse can also introduce speech, like said: "Strange," she mused.
• Do not confuse muse with mews (a row of old stables, also the sound of a cat) or amuse (to entertain). They sound similar but mean different things.

For more literary words, see the grammar and writing hub or the page on aesthetic.