English Reference

Word

muse

US/ˈmjuz/

UK/mjˈuːs/

Definitions

01to think deeply

B2

v. to think about something carefully and for a long time.

v. to reflect or ponder on a subject in a deep, meditative, or dreamy manner. Often used with the preposition 'on' or 'about'.

“He sat by the window to muse on his future and what he should do next.”

“The philosopher spent his final years musing on the nature of consciousness, rarely publishing but constantly filling notebooks with his private reflections.”

Literary

02source of inspiration

C1

n. a person, often a woman, who gives an artist, writer, or musician new ideas.

n. a person or personified force who serves as the source of intellectual or artistic inspiration for a creative individual.

“The painter's wife was his greatest muse, appearing in almost all of his famous portraits.”

“Critics have long debated whether the poet's muse was a real historical figure or merely a symbolic representation of his own creative drive.”

Literary

03Greek mythology

C2 · Religion

n. one of the nine goddesses in ancient Greek stories who looked after the arts and sciences.

n. one of the nine sister goddesses in Greek mythology, each presiding over a different branch of the arts or sciences.

“In the old story, the poet asks the Muse for help before he begins his long poem.”

“The epic opens with a traditional invocation of the Muse, a formal request for divine assistance in recounting the fall of the city.”

Academic

Real-World Examples

“Cohn kept cropping up, so Bird and Goldmark (his wife, “director of research” and “muse”) got down to work.”
The Guardian · 1 Sept 2026
“Indeed, he muses, they should really be called “rock leopards”.”
The Guardian · 5 Aug 2026

Etymology

From Middle English Muse, from Latin Musa, from Ancient Greek Μοῦσα (Moûsa).

Borrowed from Shan မူႇၸေႊ (mùu tse᷈e).

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

This entry

Level
C1 · Advanced
Frequency
Frequent
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/muse

English Reference