mole rat
noun
: any of various burrowing Old World rodents (as of the families Bathyergidae and Muridae) that generally resemble moles in appearance and have large often protruding incisors used for digging compare naked mole rat
Examples of mole rat in a Sentence
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One example that raises doubts is the fact that the blind mole rat does not see and still experiences REM sleep.
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Roberta McLain, Scientific American, 12 Dec. 2023
Looking at three data deficient species – the Upper Galilee Mountains blind mole rat, the Java lesser chevrotain, a hooved creature about the size of a rabbit, and the killer whale or orca – researchers determined the orca is most at risk for extinction and deserves the most immediate attention.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 27 Apr. 2023
In the largest-ever effort of its kind, researchers have sequenced the DNA of 240 mammals, including humans and 42 other species of primates and unusual creatures like the Upper Galilee Mountains blind mole rat.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 27 Apr. 2023
For a photographer who began his mission with that bucktoothed mole rat, Joel takes pleasure in smaller animals and insects.
—Joel Sartore, National Geographic, 20 Nov. 2020
Engraved illustration of Nehring's blind mole rat, Spalax typhlus Pall.
—Breanna Draxler, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2012
Beyond just longevity, these hairless rodents also exhibit one of the most complex social structures known in mammals: a queen mole rat and castes of nonbreeding workers cooperatively live together in subterranean burrows.
—Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 31 Jan. 2023
Not only did each mole rat have its own vocal signature, but each colony had its own distinct dialect, which was passed down, culturally, over generations.
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2022
Like most rodents, the mole rat has teeth that are always growing and need to be ground down.
—Charlotte Hu, Discover Magazine, 16 Sep. 2018
Roberta McLain, Scientific American, 12 Dec. 2023
Looking at three data deficient species – the Upper Galilee Mountains blind mole rat, the Java lesser chevrotain, a hooved creature about the size of a rabbit, and the killer whale or orca – researchers determined the orca is most at risk for extinction and deserves the most immediate attention.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 27 Apr. 2023
In the largest-ever effort of its kind, researchers have sequenced the DNA of 240 mammals, including humans and 42 other species of primates and unusual creatures like the Upper Galilee Mountains blind mole rat.
—Karen Weintraub, USA TODAY, 27 Apr. 2023
For a photographer who began his mission with that bucktoothed mole rat, Joel takes pleasure in smaller animals and insects.
—Joel Sartore, National Geographic, 20 Nov. 2020
Engraved illustration of Nehring's blind mole rat, Spalax typhlus Pall.
—Breanna Draxler, Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2012
Beyond just longevity, these hairless rodents also exhibit one of the most complex social structures known in mammals: a queen mole rat and castes of nonbreeding workers cooperatively live together in subterranean burrows.
—Jack Tamisiea, Scientific American, 31 Jan. 2023
Not only did each mole rat have its own vocal signature, but each colony had its own distinct dialect, which was passed down, culturally, over generations.
—Emily Anthes, New York Times, 30 Aug. 2022
Like most rodents, the mole rat has teeth that are always growing and need to be ground down.
—Charlotte Hu, Discover Magazine, 16 Sep. 2018
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mole rat.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Mole rat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mole%20rat. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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