mouser

noun mous·er \ ˈmau̇-sər , US also and chiefly British -zər \

Updated on: 28 Feb 2018

Definition of mouser

: a catcher of mice and rats; especially : a cat proficient at mousing

See mouser defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of mouser from the Web

As mousers, cats earn their keep guarding the sacks of grain that are essential to distilleries and breweries.

— florence fabricant, New York Times, "For Cat Lovers, a Book on the Guardians of the Liquor Cabinet," 18 Dec. 2017
Philadelphia’s Animal Care and Control Team established the program about four years ago to place unadoptable cats — the biters and the skittish, the swatters and the ones who won’t use a litter box — into jobs as mousers at barns or stables.

— Washington Post, "For ornery shelter cats, 2nd chance is a job chasing mice," 18 Oct. 2017
Others go to people looking for mousers or barn cats outside.

— zaz hollander, Alaska Dispatch News, "Rising numbers of feral cats challenge Mat-Su shelters and rescuers," 12 Sep. 2017
The researchers even found evidence of these human-loving cats at the Viking port of Ralswiek on the Baltic Sea, says Geigl, and the Iranian port of Siraf, confirming that the faithful mousers commonly joined sailing crews.

— maya wei-haas, Smithsonian, "How Cats Conquered the World," 19 June 2017
The only member of the household on Downing Street to be spared the indignity of one of the fastest political transitions in recent memory will be Larry the Cat, a tabby who holds the title of chief mouser to the cabinet office.

— dan bilefsky, New York Times, "5 Things to Know About Theresa May, Britain’s Next Prime Minister JULY 12, 2016," 12 July 2016
The researchers even found evidence of these human-loving cats at the Viking port of Ralswiek on the Baltic Sea, says Geigl, and the Iranian port of Siraf, confirming that the faithful mousers commonly joined sailing crews.

— maya wei-haas, Smithsonian, "How Cats Conquered the World," 20 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'mouser.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.