rodent

[rohd-nt]

adjective

1. belonging or pertaining to the gnawing or nibbling mammals of the order Rodentia, including the mice, squirrels, beavers, etc.

noun

1. a rodent mammal.

rodent

/ ˈrəʊdənt /

noun

1. 1. any of the relatively small placental mammals that constitute the order Rodentia , having constantly growing incisor teeth specialized for gnawing. The group includes porcupines, rats, mice, squirrels, marmots, etc

   2. ( as modifier )

      rodent characteristics

rodent

1. Any of various very numerous, mostly small mammals of the order Rodentia, having large front teeth used for gnawing. The teeth grow throughout the animal's life, and are kept from getting too long by gnawing. Rodents make up about half the living species of mammals, and include rats, mice, beavers, squirrels, lemmings, shrews, and hamsters.

Other Word Forms

• rodentlike adjective
• rodent-like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of rodent¹

1825–35; < New Latin Rodentia Rodentia

Word History and Origins

Origin of rodent¹

C19: from Latin rōdere to gnaw, corrode

Example Sentences

And, in the San Francisco Bay Area, burrowing rodents may be digging into entombed trash at a landfill-turned-park, unloosing explosive levels of methane.

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It seemed as if the little rodent was preoccupied.

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At Beowulf’s chirruping call, the little rodent scampered into the nursery and offered Penelope a great prize indeed: a single perfect acorn, carried with pride in those tiny, monkeylike paws.

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Now the bewildered rodent could do nothing but press his nose against the glass and knock with his tiny, monkeylike paws as his bushy tail flicked to and fro with anxiety.

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There was a pretty songbird labeled a snow lark and a gray-furred rodent called an alpine marmot.

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