roof rat
Americannoun
Etymology
Origin of roof rat
First recorded in 1810–20
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.
There is the black rat or roof rat, with a tail nearly always longer than its body.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 13, 2023
The animal most likely to be involved in an airplane infestation is a roof rat, a species prevalent in Atlanta, Artimovich said.
From BusinessWeek ● Apr. 19, 2011
The roof rat is common in many parts of the South, where it is a persistent pest in cane and rice fields.
From House Rats and Mice Farmers' Bulletin 896 by Lantz, David E.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
