Online Etymology Dictionary

muse (v.): "to be absorbed in thought," mid-14c., from O.Fr. muser (12c.) "to ponder, loiter, waste time," lit. "to stand with one's nose in the air" (or, possibly, "to sniff about" like a dog who has lost the scent), from muse "muzzle," from Gallo-Romance *musa "snout," of unknown origin. Probably influenced in sense by muse (n.). Related: Mused; musing.
muse (n.): late 14c., protectors of the arts, from L. Musa, from Gk. Mousa, lit. "muse, music, song," from PIE root *mon-/*men-/*mn- "to think, remember" (see mind (n.)). The names of the nine Muses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne (q.v.), and their specialties are traditionally: Calliope (epic poetry), Clio (history), Erato (love poetry, lyric art), Euterpe (music, especially flute), Melpomene (tragedy), Polymnia (hymns), Terpsichore (dance), Thalia (comedy), Urania (astronomy).
museum: 1615, "the university building in Alexandria," from L. museum "library, study," from Gk. mouseion "place of study, library or museum," originally "a seat or shrine of the Muses," from Mousa "Muse." Earliest use in ref. to Eng. institutions was of libraries (e.g. the British Museum); sense of "building to display objects" first recorded 1683.
Euterpe: muse of music, from Gk., lit. "pleasing," from eu- "well" + terpein "to delight, please."
musing: late 14c., "complaint," from prp. of muse (v.). Meaning "pondering" is from mid-15c. Related: Musingly; musings.
bemuse: "to make utterly confused," from be- + muse (cf. amuse), attested from 1735 but probably older, as Pope (1705) punned on it as "devoted utterly to the Muses."
Erato: muse who presided over lyric poetry, from Gk. erastos, verbal adj. of eran "to love." The verb is also the source of male proper names Erasmus (from Gk. erasmios "lovely, pleasant") and Erastus.
terpsichorean: "pertaining to dancing," 1869, lit. "of Terpsichore," from L. form of Gk. Terpsikhore, muse of dancing and dramatic chorus (see Terpsichore). Hence theatrical slang terp "stage dancer, chorus girl" (1937).
amuse: late 15c., from M.Fr. amuser "divert, cause to muse," from a "at, to" (but here probably a causal prefix) + muser "ponder, stare fixedly." Sense of "divert from serious business, tickle the fancy of" is recorded from 1630s, but through 18c. the primary meaning was "deceive, cheat" by first occupying the attention. Bemuse retains more of the original meaning.
saunter (v.): late 15c., santren "to muse, be in reverie," of uncertain origin. Meaning "walk with a leisurely gait" is from 1660s, and may be a different word entirely. Some suggest this word derives via Anglo-Fr. sauntrer (mid-14c.) from Fr. s'aventurer "to take risks," but OED finds this "unlikely." The noun meaning "a leisurely stroll" is recorded from 1828. Related: Sauntered.
muzzle: late 14c., "device put over an animal's mouth to stop it from biting, eating, or rooting," from O.Fr. musel (12c.), from muse "muzzle," from Gallo-Romance *musa "snout," of unknown origin, possibly related to L. morsus "bite." Meaning "projecting part of the head of an animal" is from c.1410; sense of "open end of a firearm" first recorded 1566. The verb meaning "to put a muzzle on" is first recorded c.1470.
calliope: 1858, "steam-whistle keyboard organ," in allusion to Calliope, ninth and chief muse, presiding over eloquence and epic poetry, from Gk. Kalliope, "lit. "beautiful-voiced," from kalli-, combining form of kallos "beauty" + opos (gen. of *ops) "voice," related to L. vox (see voice).
Terpsichore: the muse of the dance, Gk. Terpsikhore, lit. "enjoyment of dance," from terpein "to delight" (from PIE base *terp- "to satisfy;" cf. Skt. trpyati "takes one's fill," Lith. tarpstu "to thrive, prosper") + khoros "dance, chorus" (see chorus).
Clio: muse of history, from L. Clio, from Gk. Kleio "the proclaimer," from kleiein "to tell of, celebrate, make famous," from kleos "fame, glory," from PIE *klew-yo, from base *kleu- "to hear" (see listen). Related to the -kles in Damocles, etc.
mosaic: c.1400, from O.Fr. mosaicq "mosaic work," from M.L. musaicum "mosaic work, work of the Muses," neut. of musaicus "of the Muses," from L. Musa (see muse). Medieval mosaics were often dedicated to the Muses. The word formed in M.L. as though from Gk., but the (late) Gk. word for "mosaic work" was mouseion. Figurative use is from 1640s. Related: Mosaicist.
mouse: O.E. mus "small rodent," also "muscle," from P.Gmc. *mus (cf. O.N., O.Fris., M.Du. mus, Ger. Maus "mouse"), from PIE *muHs- (cf. Skt. mus "mouse, rat," O.Pers. mush "mouse," O.C.S. mysu, L. mus, Lith. muse "mouse," Gk. mys "mouse, muscle"). Plural form mice (O.E. mys) shows effects of i-mutation. Meaning "black eye" (or other discolored lump) is from 1842. Computer sense is from 1965, though applied to other things resembling a mouse in shape since 1750, mainly nautical. Mousetrap is from c.1475 (O.E. had musfealle).
music: mid-13c., from O.Fr. musique (12c.), from L. musica, from Gk. mousike techne "art of the Muses," from fem. of mousikos "pertaining to the Muses," from Mousa "Muse." In classical Greece, any art in which the Muses presided, but especially music. The use of letters to denote music notes is probably at least from ancient Greece, as their numbering system was ill-suited to the job. Natural scales begin at C (not A) because in ancient times the minor mode was more often used than the major one. The natural minor scale begins at A. To face the music "accept the consequences" is from 1850; the exact image is uncertain, one theory ties it to stage performers, another to cavalry horses having to be taught to stay calm while the regimental band plays. To make (beautiful) music with someone "have sexual intercourse" is from 1967. Musicology "the study of the science of music" is from 1909.
Uranus: first planet discovered that was not known in ancient times, named for the god of Heaven, husband of Gaia, the Earth, from L. Uranus, from Gk. Ouranos lit. "heaven," in Gk. cosmology, the god who personifies the heavens, father of the titans. Cf. Urania, name of the Muse of astronomy, from Gk. Ourania, fem. of ouranios, lit. "heavenly." Planet discovered and identified as such in 1781 by Sir William Herschel (it had been observed before, but mistaken for a star, cf. 1690 when John Flamsteed cataloged it as 34 Tauri); Herschel proposed calling it Georgium Sidus, lit. "George's Star," in honour of his patron, King George III of England.
"I cannot but wish to take this opportunity of expressing my sense of gratitude, by giving the name of Georgium Sidus ... to a star which (with respect to us) first began to shine under His auspicious reign." [Sir William Herschel, 1783]
The planet was known in Eng. in 1780s as the Georgian Planet; Fr. astronomers began calling Herschel, and ult. Ger. astronomer Johann Bode proposed Uranus as in conformity with other planet names. However, the name didn't come into common usage until c.1850.