kangaroo rat

American  

noun

1. any of various small jumping rodents of the family Heteromyidae, of Mexico and the western U.S.

2. an Australian desert rodent of the genus Notomys.

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kangaroo rat British  

noun

1. any small leaping rodent of the genus Dipodomys, related to the squirrels and inhabiting desert regions of North America, having a stocky body and very long hind legs and tails: family Heteromyidae

2. Also called: kangaroo mouse.  any of several leaping murine rodents of the Australian genus Notomys

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Etymology

Origin of kangaroo rat

First recorded in 1780–90

Example Sentences

After the heavy rains, Southern California wildlife experts are already noticing more of certain species, such as the kangaroo rat and red-tailed hawk.

From Los Angeles Times • May 27, 2023

That said, we were standing on a newly created refuge, the 27,000-acre Panoche Valley Nature Preserve, with kit fox dens and kangaroo rat burrow complexes in sight on all sides.

From National Geographic • Jan. 6, 2021

A sidewinder waits for its dinner: It sits in ambush until a kangaroo rat happens to come hopping by, and then it has a banquet.

From New York Times • May 17, 2017

Here are two recordings from Jan Randall, one of footrolls among banner-tailed kangaroo rat individuals, and the other of giant kangaroo rats: Namib desert golden mole Eremitalpa granti namibensis: Is just really frikkin’ cute.

From Scientific American • Mar. 22, 2011

Crows flapped off an occasional jackrabbit carcass; a black-and-white shrike sat on a fence post with a dead kangaroo rat dangling from under its talons; cows lumbered moodily off the dirt path into the sagebrush.

From "The Milagro Beanfield War" by John Nichols