black rat

American

noun

an Old World rat, Rattus rattus, now common in the southern U.S., having a black or brown body with grayish or white underparts.

black rat British

noun

a common rat, Rattus rattus : a household pest that has spread from its native Asia to all countries

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of black rat

First recorded in 1765–75

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Outbreaks there are associated with agriculture, deforestation, the black rat -- and fleas.

From Science Daily • May 1, 2024

Although it’s twice the size of the common black rat, researchers had never been able to study it.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 26, 2023

The black rat was one of the most capable animal hosts for the plague-carrying fleas.

From Textbooks • Apr. 19, 2023

On Anacapa, the problem was a different animal: the common black rat.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 6, 2023

A huge black rat squealed and leaped at Bigger’s trouser-leg and snagged it in his teeth, hanging on.

From "Native Son" by Richard Wright

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023