Definition of murex in English:
murex
nounPlural murices, Plural murexes ˈmjʊərɛksˈmjʊrɛks
A predatory tropical marine mollusc, the shell of which bears spines and forms a long, narrow canal extending downwards from the aperture.
Genus Murex, family Muricidae, class Gastropoda
Example sentencesExamples
- However, the creatures inside murex shells are edible and are consumed in some parts of the world.
- In one corner were piles of seashells attractively packaged and framed in boxes for hanging on the wall - cowries and mitre shells, murex and spider shells.
- The region around Tyre was well known in the ancient world for its purple dye made from the murex grandaris mollusc.
- Tyrian purple, from the shellfish murex, was a dye reserved for the emperor; this dye was worth several times its weight in gold.
Origin
Late 16th century: from Latin; perhaps related to Greek muax 'sea mussel'.