What is the name for a male mouse? - briefly
A male mouse is referred to as a buck. The term is commonly used in zoological literature.
What is the name for a male mouse? - in detail
The standard term for an adult male mouse is “buck.” This designation is used in zoological and laboratory contexts to differentiate the sexes, with the female counterpart called a “doe.” In breeding programs, especially those involving laboratory strains, the word “stud” may appear to describe a male selected for reproductive purposes; however, “stud” refers to function rather than species‑specific nomenclature.
- Buck – primary sex label in scientific literature, field guides, and veterinary texts.
- Stud – indicates a male employed for controlled breeding, not a taxonomic term.
- Male mouse – generic descriptive phrase, useful when precise terminology is unnecessary.
The origin of “buck” traces to Old English bucca, historically applied to various male mammals such as deer and antelope. Its extension to rodents reflects a broader pattern of using familiar ungulate terms for small mammals. The term appears in research papers, pest‑control manuals, and educational resources, ensuring consistent communication across disciplines.
When documenting experiments, researchers typically record the sex as “M” or “male,” but narrative descriptions often employ “buck” to maintain clarity. In pest‑management literature, “buck” distinguishes the sex‑specific behavior patterns, such as territorial marking, that differ from those of does.
Overall, “buck” is the recognized, species‑appropriate label for a male mouse, with “stud” serving a specialized breeding context.