murine

[ myoor-ahyn, -in ]

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the rodent subfamily Murinae, which includes more than 500 species of mice and rats:

   pathological studies of murine viruses;

   the detection of murine odor in the attic.

noun

1. a murine rodent:

   No murines have played more vitally important roles in medical research than common house mice and brown rats.

murine

/ -rɪn; ˈmjʊəraɪn /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or belonging to the Muridae, an Old World family of rodents, typically having long hairless tails: includes rats and mice
2. resembling a mouse or rat

noun

1. any animal belonging to the Muridae

murine

/ myr′īn′ /

1. Of or relating to a rodent of the subfamily Murinae, including rats and mice.
2. Caused, transmitted, or affected by such a rodent.

Word History and Origins

Origin of murine¹

First recorded in 1600–10; from Latin mūrīnus “of mice,” equivalent to mūr- (stem of mūs “mouse”) + -īnus adjective suffix; mouse, -ine ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of murine¹

C17: from Latin mūrīnus of mice, from mūs mouse

Example Sentences

They have two viruses in their sights: murine leukemia virus and Kaposi's sarcoma virus.

From Science Daily

They can also help spread murine typhus and food-borne germs like salmonella.

From Seattle Times

HKU1 has the murkiest evolutionary history, but its genetic sequence clusters close to the murine hepatitis virus, suggesting it has a rodent origin.

From Science Magazine

In addition to her poetry about mice, Dr. Mintz amassed a collection of what Chernoff described as “everything murine,” filling her office with photographs, sculptures and even tapestries of mice.

From Washington Post

While the authors say the facial movements that followed were noticeable, anyone hoping for a comical murine grimace may be disappointed.

From The Guardian