Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

muss

/mʌs/

Word Rarity Very rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.43 in modern English

Syllables: muss
IPA: /mʌs/

6

Scrabble Score

4

Letters

1

Syllables

3

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To rumple, tousle or make (something) untidy.

Transitive verb

noun

A mess (disagreeable mixture or confusion of things; disorder).

noun

A scramble, as when small objects are thrown down, to be taken by those who can seize them; a confused struggle.

Obsolete

noun

A term of endearment.

Obsolete

Example Sentences

"The old man affectionately mussed his grandson's hair."
"Authority melts from me: of late, when I cried 'Ho!' like boys unto a muss, kings would start forth, and cry 'Your will?' Have you no ears? I am Antony yet."
"Gods so! a muss, a muss, a muss, a muss."

Etymology

Related to mess (“disorder”).

Usage

Inflected Forms

musses (present, singular) mussing (participle, present) mussed (participle, past) mussed (past) musses (plural)

Derived Forms

mussable mussy

Phrases

muss up

Synonyms

mess messiness mussiness tussle

Rhymes With

us plus thus bus discuss gus fuss drive the porcelain bus truss rus sus pus

Questions

How do you pronounce muss?: The recorded pronunciation is /mʌs/.
What does muss mean?: To rumple, tousle or make (something) untidy.
Where does muss come from?: Related to mess (“disorder”).

How to pronounce muss

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “muss”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/mʌs/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “muss”.
Repeat and practice — Say “muss” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.