muskrat
Americannoun
plural
muskrats,plural
muskrat-
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 )
Etymology
Origin of muskrat
1680–90, alteration, by folk etymology, of musquash
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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
With barely a ripple he sped toward the larger muskrat, which began paddling away desperately.
From New York Times • Aug. 30, 2022
For mink and muskrat, the researchers concluded, drowning traps "fell within the tentative criteria of humaneness" established by the Canadian committee.
From Salon • Jan. 12, 2022
A muskrat population oscillates 33 above and below average during the year, reaching the lowest value in January.
From Textbooks • Dec. 1, 2021
I took many imaginary beaver and muskrat but I did no more sets and killed no more animals.
From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen
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.
