cricetid

American

[krahy-see-tid, -set-id, kri-] / kraɪˈsi tɪd, -ˈsɛt ɪd, krɪ- /

noun

Zoology.

any of a diverse group of scampering, digging, or jumping rodents of the family Cricetidae, including the gerbils, hamsters, field mice, deer mice, voles, lemmings, muskrats, and several wood and field rats.

Etymology

Origin of cricetid

1955–60; < New Latin Cricetidae, equivalent to Cricet ( us ) a genus, including the common hamster ( Medieval Latin: hamster, perhaps < Czech křeček ) + -idae -id ²

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.

Fernando Gonzalez as Jason, the dopey, affectionate male hamster, and Lea McKenna-Garcia as Tyson, the smarter, dominant female, give inventive impressions of cricetid behavior and look suitably cute in their fleece-trimmed ensembles.

From New York Times

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