mousefall

English

Etymology

From Middle English mousfalle, from Old English mūsfealle (“mousetrap”), from Proto-West Germanic *mūsfallā (“mousetrap”), equivalent to mouse +‎ fall. Cognate with Scots mousfall (“mousetrap”), Saterland Frisian Muusefalle (“mousetrap”), West Frisian mûzefalle (“mousetrap”), Dutch muizenval (“mousetrap”), German Low German Muusfall, Muusfalle (“mousetrap”), German Mausfalle, Mausefalle (“mousetrap”).

Noun

mousefall (plural mousefalls)

1. (now chiefly dialectal, Scotland) A mousetrap.