lemming
Americannoun
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any of various small, mouselike rodents of several genera including Lemmus, Myopus, and Dicrostonyx, of far northern regions, as L. lemmus, of Norway, Sweden, etc., noted for periodic mass migrations that sometimes involve crossing bodies of water. Incidental drownings that have occurred during such passage gave rise to the myth of mass suicides among supposedly frenzied lemmings jumping from cliffs into the sea.
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a person who follows the will of others, especially in a mass movement, and heads straight into a situation or circumstance that is dangerous, stupid, or destructive.
These lemmings that eat up conspiracy theories are so blinded by lies, they don’t even see the cliff they’re about to plummet over.
noun
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any of various volelike rodents of the genus Lemmus and related genera, of northern and arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America: family Cricetidae. The Scandinavian variety, Lemmus lemmus, migrates periodically when its population reaches a peak
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a member of any large group following an unthinking course towards mass destruction
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of lemming
First recorded in 1600–10; from Norwegian; cognate with Icelandic lómundr “lemming,” læmingr “loon”; akin to Gothic laian “to revile,” Icelandic lā “to blame”
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.
A 19-yard completion from JJ Lemming to Zach Matlock allowed the Wildcats to take advantage of Volk’s second interception with a 40-yard field goal by Josh Jones on the final play of the first half.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 23, 2023
Connecting them, Lemming is a figure of godlike mystery.
From New York Times • Apr. 4, 2022
Unlike Freeze, Swinney has not faced any scandal and, according to Lemming, is compiling one of the best recruiting classes in history this year.
From The Guardian • Sep. 18, 2019
In a statement, Coke spokeswoman Jennifer Lemming noted that the company also had given $75,000 to the Democrats for their convention this year and that it “does not endorse presidential candidates or nominees.”
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 8, 2016
He is also called the Hudson Bay Lemming.
From The Burgess Animal Book for Children by Burgess, Thornton W. (Thornton Waldo)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
