A vocabulary of landscape — a landscape of words
975 entries
musk
A strong-smelling secretion produced by certain animals — deer, muskrats, musk oxen, some snakes and beetles — from specialized glands, used for territorial marking, mate attraction, and defense. In tracking, the smell of musk can be sign itself.
Etymology
Late Latin muscus, from Persian mushk, from Sanskrit muṣká, meaning testicle — the musk gland of the musk deer is located near the abdomen and was associated with the reproductive organs. The word traveled the Silk Road with the substance.