ratter

American

[rat-er] / ˈræt ər /

noun

a person, animal, or thing that catches rats, as a terrier or a cat.

ratter British

/ ˈrætə /

noun

a dog or cat that catches and kills rats
another word for rat rat

"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 ratter

First recorded in 1825–35; rat + -er ¹

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.

Expect a few jokes about the apparently gifted "ratter".

From BBC • Feb. 16, 2011

Through gratitude, the turtle came to live with Mr. Green, to serve him as a ratter.

From Time Magazine Archive

It was no weakling and a good ratter, but it had the bad luck to be up against a dedicated fighter who was spoiling for action.

From "Watership Down: A Novel" by Richard Adams

My dog here is a good ratter, and I think he’ll be able to polish off a few for you.

From Young Tom Bowling The Boys of the British Navy by Greene, John B.

Once a sporting friend came in to see him, bringing his own terrier, which he boasted was the best ratter in the country.

From John Patrick, Third Marquess of Bute, K.T. A Memoir by Blair, David Hunter

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