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

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has cited Lineage for unsanitary and nuisance conditions related to rodent and pest control violations.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026

The search for the rogue rodent has also inspired amateur trackers.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

Hantavirus typically spreads from rodents, with people infected by breathing in air contaminated with virus particles from rodent urine, droppings or saliva.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

Earlier research had indicated that ancient strains of Yersinia pestis lacked some of the genetic features that later allowed bubonic plague to spread efficiently through fleas and rodent hosts.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 18, 2026

A large rodent appeared from behind an aroma tree and began nibbling the toes of her boots.

From "Dreaming in Cuban" by Cristina García

In the end she gave her favorite rodents some feathers.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 13, 2026

Instead, they mark the rodents with dye and call them things like "dans_hat", "open_kite" and "Citroën".

From BBC ● Aug. 5, 2026

Other transgressions there included urine contamination from rodents on food packaging and shelving, inadequate cleaning standards and structural defects allowing pest entry.

From BBC ● Jul. 21, 2026

Due to the sentimental nature of the Chipmunks and the rocky licensing history, Bagdasarian and Karman have held tight to the IP, keeping the rodents off the big screen for more than a decade.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026

The sabre-tooth cats, after flourishing for more than 30 million years, disappeared, and so did the giant ground sloths, the oversized lions, native American horses, native American camels, the giant rodents and the mammoths.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari