Rodent - definition of rodent by The Free Dictionary
Rodent - definition of rodent by The Free Dictionary
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/rodent
 (rōd′nt)
n.
Any of various mammals of the order Rodentia, such as a mouse, rat, squirrel, or beaver, characterized by large incisors used for gnawing or nibbling.
[From New Latin Rōdentia, order name, from Latin rōdēns, rōdent-, present participle of rōdere, to gnaw; see rēd- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.]
ro′dent adj.
n
1. (Animals)
a. 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
b. (as modifier): rodent characteristics.
2. (Zoology)
a. 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
b. (as modifier): rodent characteristics.
[C19: from Latin rōdere to gnaw, corrode]
ˈrodent-ˌlike adj
(ˈroʊd nt)
adj.
1. belonging or pertaining to the gnawing or nibbling mammals of the order Rodentia, characterized by four continually growing incisors: includes mice, squirrels, beavers, chipmunks, and rats.
n.
2. a rodent mammal.
[1825–35; < New Latin Rodentia, neuter pl. of Latin rōdēns, s. rōdent-, present participle of rōdēre to gnaw]
ro·dent
(rōd′nt)
Any of various very numerous, mostly small mammals having large front teeth used for gnawing. The teeth grow throughout the animal's life, and gnawing keeps them from getting too long. Rodents make up about half the living species of mammals, and include rats, mice, beavers, squirrels, shrews, and hamsters.
ThesaurusAntonymsRelated WordsSynonymsLegend:
Noun
1.
rodent - relatively small placental mammals having a single pair of constantly growing incisor teeth specialized for gnawing
eutherian , eutherian mammal , placental , placental mammal - mammals having a placenta; all mammals except monotremes and marsupials
order Rodentia , Rodentia - small gnawing animals: porcupines; rats; mice; squirrels; marmots; beavers; gophers; voles; hamsters; guinea pigs; agoutis
mouse - any of numerous small rodents typically resembling diminutive rats having pointed snouts and small ears on elongated bodies with slender usually hairless tails
rat - any of various long-tailed rodents similar to but larger than a mouse
murine - a rodent that is a member of the family Muridae
water rat - any of various amphibious rats
New World mouse - a variety of rodent
musquash , Ondatra zibethica , muskrat - beaver-like aquatic rodent of North America with dark glossy brown fur
Florida water rat , Neofiber alleni , round-tailed muskrat - of Florida wetlands
cotton rat , Sigmodon hispidus - destructive long-haired burrowing rat of southern North America and Central America
wood rat , wood-rat - any of various small short-tailed rodents of the northern hemisphere having soft fur grey above and white below with furred tails and large ears; some are hosts for Ixodes pacificus and Ixodes scapularis (Lyme disease ticks)
hamster - short-tailed Old World burrowing rodent with large cheek pouches
gerbil , gerbille - small Old World burrowing desert rodent with long soft pale fur and hind legs adapted for leaping
lemming - any of various short-tailed furry-footed rodents of circumpolar distribution
hedgehog , porcupine - relatively large rodents with sharp erectile bristles mingled with the fur
jumping mouse - any of several primitive mouselike rodents with long hind legs and no cheek pouches; of woodlands of Eurasia and North America
jerboa - mouselike jumping rodent
dormouse - small furry-tailed squirrel-like Old World rodent that becomes torpid in cold weather
squirrel - a kind of arboreal rodent having a long bushy tail
prairie dog , prairie marmot - any of several rodents of North American prairies living in large complex burrows having a barking cry
marmot - stocky coarse-furred burrowing rodent with a short bushy tail found throughout the northern hemisphere; hibernates in winter
beaver - large semiaquatic rodent with webbed hind feet and a broad flat tail; construct complex dams and underwater lodges
Aplodontia rufa , mountain beaver , sewellel - bulky nocturnal burrowing rodent of uplands of the Pacific coast of North America; the most primitive living rodent
cavy - short-tailed rough-haired South American rodent
Dolichotis patagonum , mara - hare-like rodent of the pampas of Argentina
capibara , capybara , Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris - pig-sized tailless South American amphibious rodent with partly webbed feet; largest living rodent
agouti , Dasyprocta aguti - agile long-legged rabbit-sized rodent of Central America and South America and the West Indies; valued as food
Cuniculus paca , paca - large burrowing rodent of South America and Central America; highly esteemed as food
mountain paca - rodent of mountains of western South America
coypu , Myocastor coypus , nutria - aquatic South American rodent resembling a small beaver; bred for its fur
Chinchilla laniger , chinchilla - small rodent with soft pearly grey fur; native to the Andes but bred in captivity for fur
mountain chinchilla , mountain viscacha - a rodent native to the mountains of Chile and Peru and now bred in captivity