Mousy... literary terms

[naosu]

So I remember that quite a number of books that I read, every once in awhile you'd run into a term where it would describe either a girl or a child, as mousy in appearance. I don't mind as a beastman or anything like that, but they'd describe them as mousy as either appearance or personality. Such and such girl had a mousy face.

When you look it up the internet says that means a timid appearance. But that seems to apply to only when its how their personality is.

What do you think about this in terms of appearance of a girl's face though? Or a child's face? I think this term is misused because people don't understand it very well. I'm probably more well read than most, and I still don't think I understood it. So it seemed interesting to see what do you do you think about it?

 

[ConansWitchBaby]

Doe eyes with small pointy nose. Mouth that ends in a small width with deep edges to the side of the lips. Usually bangs for the head.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Generally, it means a person who does not stand out as either "plain" (according to my wife, usually a euphemism for "ugly") or as beautiful - an average person, almost always one with hair the same color as most wild mice (light brown or grayish brown).

 

[Anonjohn20]

So I remember that quite a number of books that I read, every once in awhile you'd run into a term where it would describe either a girl or a child, as mousy in appearance. I don't mind as a beastman or anything like that, but they'd describe them as mousy as either appearance or personality. Such and such girl had a mousy face.

When you look it up the internet says that means a timid appearance. But that seems to apply to only when its how their personality is.

What do you think about this in terms of appearance of a girl's face though? Or a child's face? I think this term is misused because people don't understand it very well. I'm probably more well read than most, and I still don't think I understood it. So it seemed interesting to see what do you do you think about it?

When it's used to describe a personality, it means the character might be introverted, nervous, or easily overlooked; as they tend to avoid attention or confrontation.

Some examples I can think of are:
Dr. Alphys from Undertale.
Fluttershy from My Little Pony.
Luigi from any Mario game.
Neville Longbottom from Harry Potter.
Hinata from Naruto.
Piglet from Winnie the Pooh.

When it's used to describe appearance, it suggests the character looks plain or subdued, but the person using the term is trying to say it in a sympathetic way rather than an unflattering, derogatory way.