Illustration of pocket mouse
pocket mouse
noun
: any of various nocturnal burrowing rodents (family Heteromyidae) that resemble mice, live in arid parts of western North America, and have long hind legs and tail and fur-lined cheek pouches
Examples of pocket mouse in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Pat, who is small even for a pocket mouse, is one of 165 mice in the program.
—
San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2023
Pat, who weighs about the same as three pennies, was born on July 14, 2013, in the first year of the Pacific pocket mouse conservation breeding program at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 9 Feb. 2023
The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced Wednesday that a Pacific pocket mouse named Pat — born July 14, 2013, at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park under a conservation breeding program — received Guinness approval as the oldest living mouse in human care at the age of 9 years and 209 days.
—Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 9 Feb. 2023
Shier established the organization's Pacific pocket mouse conservation breeding program.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 9 Feb. 2023
Shier created and oversees the Pacific pocket mouse conservation breeding program.
—Melissa Breyer, Treehugger, 8 Feb. 2023
Pat was born July 14, 2013, and was in the third litter born in the Pacific pocket mouse conservation program, which was established by Shier the previous year.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2023
The desert pocket mouse, for example, can live without water for months, in part because of the extreme extent to which its kidneys can concentrate urine.
—Asher Y. Rosinger, Scientific American, 1 July 2021
Low-elevation species like the California vole and California pocket mouse moved to higher elevations while high-elevation species like the bushy-tailed woodrat and Allen's chipmunk decreased their range.
—Jim Morrison, Wired, 23 Feb. 2021
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San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2023
Pat, who weighs about the same as three pennies, was born on July 14, 2013, in the first year of the Pacific pocket mouse conservation breeding program at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 9 Feb. 2023
The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance announced Wednesday that a Pacific pocket mouse named Pat — born July 14, 2013, at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park under a conservation breeding program — received Guinness approval as the oldest living mouse in human care at the age of 9 years and 209 days.
—Camille Fine, USA TODAY, 9 Feb. 2023
Shier established the organization's Pacific pocket mouse conservation breeding program.
—Anna Lazarus Caplan, Peoplemag, 9 Feb. 2023
Shier created and oversees the Pacific pocket mouse conservation breeding program.
—Melissa Breyer, Treehugger, 8 Feb. 2023
Pat was born July 14, 2013, and was in the third litter born in the Pacific pocket mouse conservation program, which was established by Shier the previous year.
—San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2023
The desert pocket mouse, for example, can live without water for months, in part because of the extreme extent to which its kidneys can concentrate urine.
—Asher Y. Rosinger, Scientific American, 1 July 2021
Low-elevation species like the California vole and California pocket mouse moved to higher elevations while high-elevation species like the bushy-tailed woodrat and Allen's chipmunk decreased their range.
—Jim Morrison, Wired, 23 Feb. 2021
See More
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pocket mouse.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1877, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near pocket mouse
Cite this Entry
“Pocket mouse.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pocket%20mouse. Accessed 4 Oct. 2023.
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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about pocket mouse
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