pack rat
or pack·rat
noun
Also called trade rat, wood rat. a large, bushy-tailed rodent, Neotoma cinerea, of North America, noted for carrying off small articles to store in its nest.
Informal. a person who saves things that are not needed or used but that may have personal or other value.
Informal. an old prospector or guide.
Nearby words
pack ice, pack in, pack it in, pack of lies, pack off, pack rat, pack rolling, pack shot, pack them in, pack up, pack wall
Origin of pack rat
First recorded in 1840–50
Definition for packrat (2 of 2)
pack-rat
or pack·rat
[ pak-rat ]
/ ˈpækˌræt /
verb (used with object), pack-rat·ted, pack-rat·ting. Informal.
to save in the manner of a pack rat: I’m looking through the stuff my grandpa pack-ratted away in the attic.
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for packrat
pack rat
noun
any rat of the genus Neotoma, of W North America, having a long tail that is furry in some species: family CricetidaeAlso called: wood rat
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
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