Definition of lemming
: any of various small short-tailed furry-footed rodents (such as genera Lemmus and Dicrostonyx) of circumpolar distribution that are notable for population fluctuations and recurrent mass migrations Lemmings are the locusts of mammals, and they will strip a habitat bare. Then, they begin migrating forward to find a new feeding ground, swarming over boulders, around trees, whatever stands in their way. If they run into a body of water, they try to swim across. — Natalie Angier
lemminglike
play \ˈle-miŋ-ˌlīk\ adjective Lured by stock prices defying gravity and handsome bond yields, Americans have marched into the funds in lemminglike fashion. — Penelope Wang and David PaulyRead the Latest from M-W
Recent Examples of lemming from the Web
-
Some of the coverage that Goop receives suggests that women are lemmings, ready to jump off a cliff whenever one of our doctors discusses checking for EBV, or Candida, or low levels of vitamin D—or, heaven forbid, take a walk barefoot.
-
Laikin got Chris Miller, who’d written the original stories that became Animal House, to serve on a creative advisory board, and also got in touch with Tony Hendra, who’d edited the magazine for a few years and produced Lemmings.
-
Laikin got Chris Miller, who’d written the original stories that became Animal House, to serve on a creative advisory board, and also got in touch with Tony Hendra, who’d edited the magazine for a few years and produced Lemmings.
-
Watch: In this episode, Bob Mankoff considers the role of clichés in cartooning, looking back at familiar tropes such as stampeding lemmings and the Grim Reaper.
-
The 6-to-12-pound (3-to-5-kilogram) foxes, which prey mostly on lemmings and small game, are found throughout the circumpolar Arctic, from Alaska and Canada all the way into Europe and Greenland.
-
Once again, yer a lemming following the other lemmings over the Windoze cliff.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lemming.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of lemming
Norwegian
Financial Definition of LEMMING
lemming
What It Is
A lemming is an investor who does whatever the crowd does.
How It Works
A lemming is a short, furry rodent that is noted for its tendency to migrate en masse, regardless of the danger of the location or the stupidity of the move.
Lemming investors follow the prevailing wisdom without really questioning that wisdom.
Why It Matters
In the investing world, people who follow the crowd for no particular reason are dubbed lemmings. Often, lemmings are individual investors who enter the market after prices have already run up, and they leave the market after prices have already fallen.
Contrarian investors are the opposite of lemmings; they love to do what's out of favor. They tend to buy when everyone else is selling, sell when everyone else is buying, and wait when everyone else is active. The result is that the contrarian often buys a cheap security that everyone else is calling a dog and sells a security that everyone else is clamoring to get into.
LEMMING Defined for English Language Learners
lemming
playDefinition of lemming for English Language Learners
-
: a small animal that lives in northern areas of North America, Europe, and Asia
Learn More about lemming
-
See words that rhyme with lemming Spanish Central: Translation of lemming Nglish: Translation of lemming for Spanish speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about lemming
Seen and Heard
What made you want to look up lemming? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Writing? Check your grammar now!