rodent

American  

[rohd-nt] / ˈroʊd nt /

adjective

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

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noun

• rodents
  plural

1. a rodent mammal.

rodent British  

/ 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

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rodent Scientific  

/ rōd′nt /

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.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• rodent-like
  adjective
• rodentlike
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• rodents
  plural

Etymology

Origin of rodent

1825–35; < New Latin Rodentia Rodentia

Explanation

A rodent is any of an order of (usually) small, furry, gnawing mammals whose two pairs of front teeth — one pair in the upper jaw, and one in the lower — never stop growing. Mice, rats, and squirrels are rodents, and so are larger mammals like beavers, porcupines, and capybaras. The term rodent sometimes has a negative connotation, as people associate some rodents, especially mice and rats, with carrying diseases or being pests. But many people keep rodents, such as gerbils and hamsters, as pets. And rodents are an important part of ecosystems. Beavers build dams that create wetland habitats for fish and other creatures, and small rodents like mice are an important food source for some birds, snakes, and mammals. In traditional Chinese culture, rats are associated with cleverness, adaptability, and prosperity.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

rodent rodents

Those branches may have helped establish new reservoirs of Yersinia pestis in wild rodent populations.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 20, 2026

Earlier research had shown that ancient strains of Yersinia pestis were missing some of the genetic features that eventually allowed bubonic plague to spread efficiently through fleas and rodent hosts.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

The scientists have also launched Fat Marmot Week, styled after Fat Bear Week, where the public can vote for their favourite rotund rodent in a bracket-style tournament at the end of August.

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

Lineage has already deployed odor-control spray systems, industrial air scrubbers, and fly and rodent traps.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 5, 2026

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

From "The Hidden Gallery" by Maryrose Wood

Humans usually contract it from fleas that have fed on infected wild rodents, or sometimes by handling the tissue or body fluids of a diseased animal, according to the U.S.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026

The viper, which has two hornlike projections on its snout, feeds mainly on rodents and ground-dwelling birds.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 29, 2026

Archaeological evidence indicates that the hunter-gatherers living around Lake Baikal had close contact with marmots - large burrowing rodents that still carry plague today.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

And they need to be near rough ground that offers habitat for the small rodents they hunt.

From BBC ● Aug. 26, 2026

The plains hid no rodents, no grubs, no worms, no snakes, no scorpions; they gave rise to no other trees, no shrubs, no grasses, no flowers.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel