definitions

mole rat

or mole-rat, mole·rat

[ mohl-rat ]
/ ˈmoʊlˌræt /
|

noun

any of several eastern European burrowing rodents, especially those of the genus Spalax, having no tail, short limbs, and small eyes with permanently closed lids.
bandicoot(def 2).

RELATED CONTENT

Chinese New Year emojiRead more in this article about some frequently asked questions and fun facts related to our definitions.
READ MORE

Nearby words

mole cricket, mole drain, mole fraction, mole mapping, mole plow, mole rat, mole run, mole salamander, molech, molecular, molecular astronomy

Origin of mole rat

First recorded in 1775–85
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for mole rat

  • But the Mole-rat lives mostly upon roots, preferring those of a bulbous nature.

    Bible Animals;|J. G. Wood

  • A better term for it is the Mole-rat, by which name it is familiar to zoologists.

    Bible Animals;|J. G. Wood

  • The Mole-rat needs not to dig such deep tunnels as the true Moles, because its food does not lie so deep.

    Bible Animals;|J. G. Wood

British Dictionary definitions for mole rat

mole rat

noun

any burrowing molelike African rodent of the family Bathyergidae
any similar rodent, esp any member of the genus Spalax, of Asia and North Africa: family Spalacidae
the bandicoot ratSee bandicoot (def. 2)
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