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mole rat

American

[mohl-rat] / ˈmoʊlˌræt /

Or mole-rat,

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.

mole rat British

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 rat See bandicoot

"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 mole rat

First recorded in 1775–85

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 new study of the bizarre naked mole rat shows that the animals have evolved a DNA repair mechanism that could explain their longevity.

From BBC • Oct. 9, 2025

The sociable, or eusocial, nature of naked mole rat communities means they're basically all siblings or cousins.

From Salon • May 11, 2025

He started in 2006 with the naked mole rat and has since photographed thousands more, including the Indochinese green magpie, the Arabian cobra, and the güiña, a small spotted cat from South America.

From National Geographic • Nov. 28, 2023

The strength of outdoor light is so much stronger than window light, it’s comparable to taking a naked mole rat from its underground lair and moving it to Mars.

From Seattle Times • Jul. 21, 2023

My sister, the basement mole rat, was smarter than me?

From "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie

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