muskrat
Americannoun
-
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.
noun
-
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 )
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of muskrat
1680–90, alteration, by folk etymology, of musquash
Compare meaning
How does muskrat compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
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.
The most popular mullet of today isn’t the spiky Bowie version or the luxurious muskrat look from “Joe Dirt.”
From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 19, 2022
Ms. Carter walked over with her camera and zoomed in on the dead muskrat, now on its back with its feet in the air.
From New York Times • Aug. 30, 2022
A muskrat population oscillates 33 above and below average during the year, reaching the lowest value in January.
From Textbooks • Dec. 1, 2021
They labeled as "high" risk animals like white-tailed deer, the Chinese hamster, the beluga whale, the giant anteater and the muskrat.
From Salon • Sep. 8, 2021
He bopped Mutto again with the muskrat carcass, chased him once around the table and out of the kitchen.
From "Wringer" by Jerry Spinelli
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.
