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muskrat

[ muhsk-rat ]
/ ˈmʌskˌræt /

noun, plural musk·rats, (especially collectively) musk·rat.

a large, aquatic, North American rodent, Ondatra zibethica, having a musky odor.
its thick, light-brown fur, used for coats, for hats, as a trimming, etc.

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Origin of muskrat

1680–90, Americanism; alteration, by folk etymology, of musquash

Words nearby muskrat

Muskogean, Muskogee, musk orchid, muskox, musk plant, muskrat, musk rose, musk thistle, musk turtle, musky, Muslem
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for muskrat

British Dictionary definitions for muskrat

muskrat
/ (ˈmʌskˌræt) /

noun plural -rats or -rat

a North American beaver-like amphibious rodent, Ondatra zibethica, closely related to but larger than the voles: family Cricetidae
the brown fur of this animal
either of two closely related rodents, Ondatra obscurus or Neofiber alleni (round-tailed muskrat)
Often (informal) shortened to: musquash

Word Origin for muskrat

C17: by folk etymology, from the same source as musquash
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