musaraña
Spanish
Etymology
From Latin mūs arāneus (literally “spider mouse”) (compare French musaraigne) because the bite of some shrews can be venomous. Ending influenced by Spanish araña (“spider”).
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /musaˈɾaɲa/ [mu.saˈɾa.ɲa]
Audio (Spain) (file) - Rhymes: -aɲa
- Syllabification: mu‧sa‧ra‧ña
Noun
musaraña f (plural musarañas)
- shrew
- Synonym: musgaño
- (by extension) vermin; small animal
Derived terms
- mirar las musarañas
Further reading
- “musaraña”, in Diccionario de la lengua española, Vigésima tercera edición, Real Academia Española, 2014