"mouse" in seven languages
Meaningmouse
Spanish
/raˈton/
masc.other source · rata 'rat' (origin debated) + -ón
French
/suʁi/
fem.other source · Latin SŌRĪCEM 'shrew'
Italian
/ˈtɔpo/
masc.other source · Latin TALPAM 'mole'
Portuguese
/ˈhatu/
masc.other source · of uncertain, probably imitative origin (compare Spanish rata, French rat)
Rato covers rats too; a small house mouse is a camundongo in Brazil.
Romanian
/ˈʃo̯aretʃe/
masc.other source · Latin SŌRICEM 'shrew'
The same Latin word as French souris.
Catalan
/rətuˈli/
masc.other source · Catalan rata 'rat' (of uncertain, probably imitative origin) + diminutive suffix
English
/maʊs/
native English · Old English mūs
plural: mice
Kindred to Latin MŪS, which the sisters lost; muscle is Latin for 'little mouse'.
Watch out: false friends
topo (Spanish) means “mole” · topo (Italian) means “mouse”
Italian topo goes back to Latin TALPA 'mole', shifted to the mouse (Italian 'mole' is the learned-looking talpa). Spanish topo is of disputed origin — perhaps the same TALPA, perhaps an expressive word.
rato (Spanish) means “a while, a short time” · rato (Portuguese) means “mouse; rat”
Coincidence. Spanish rato is Latin RAPTUM 'a snatching', hence a sudden moment; Portuguese rato belongs with English rat and Italian ratto, a widespread word of uncertain origin.
The story
Latin MŪS died out, and each sister borrowed a different small creature: French took the shrew, Italian the mole, Spanish a little rat. The computer mouse is ratón, souris and mouse in Italian.
Learn it
In a sentence
- esEl gato persigue a un ratón.
- frLe chat poursuit une souris.
- itIl gatto insegue un topo.
- ptO gato está correndo atrás de um rato.
- roPisica aleargă după un șoarece.
- caEl gat persegueix un ratolí.
- enThe cat is chasing a mouse.