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variants
or less commonly gerbille
: any of numerous Old World burrowing desert rodents (Gerbillus and related genera) with long hind legs adapted for leaping
Examples of gerbil in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
And so the story goes, filled with all manner of quirky and hysterical, including a bus that's powered by gerbils, a dean of students who's a hermit crab, and a bold mission to save the town of Antiquarium from an evil cabal of nefarious mad scientists.
—Mia Taylor, Parents, 4 Oct. 2024
According to police, the door to the pet store was open and animals, including dogs, birds, ferrets, rabbits, and gerbils, were roaming free, WCMH reported.
—Lauren Liebhaber, Kansas City Star, 9 July 2024
Besides dogs and cats, animals allowed inside are birds, ferrets, gerbils, guinea pigs, hamsters, mice, rats and rabbits under 10 pounds.
—Devoun Cetoute, Miami Herald, 31 May 2024
At 231 Mysterium Way, the pizza is fatal, the bus is powered by gerbils and the dean of students is a hermit crab.
—Lizz Schumer, Peoplemag, 12 Feb. 2024
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Word History
Etymology
French gerbille, from New Latin Gerbillus, diminutive of gerboa, jerboa jerboa
First Known Use
1827, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing gerbil
Dictionary Entries Near gerbil
Cite this Entry
“Gerbil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gerbil. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
gerbil
noun
ger·bil
ˈjər-bəl
: any of several Old World desert rodents with long hind legs
Medical Definition
gerbil
noun
ger·bil
variants
also gerbille
: any of numerous Old World burrowing desert rodents (Gerbillus and related genera) with long hind legs adapted for leaping
More from Merriam-Webster on gerbil
Nglish: Translation of gerbil for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about gerbil
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