rodent

noun ro·dent \ ˈrō-dᵊnt \

|Updated on: 19 Jun 2018

Definition of rodent

1 : any of an order (Rodentia) of relatively small gnawing mammals (such as a mouse, squirrel, or beaver) that have in both jaws a single pair of incisors with a chisel-shaped edge

2 : a small mammal (such as a rabbit or a shrew) other than a true rodent

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rodent

adjective

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Recent Examples of rodent from the Web

The plague-causing Yersinia pestis bacteria lives in rodents.

— ike swetlitz, Scientific American, "Ancient Teeth Unlock Plague Secrets," 8 June 2018
The plague-causing Yersinia pestis bacteria lives in rodents.

— ike swetlitz, STAT, "A set of ancient teeth unlock a bacterial secret about the bubonic plague," 8 June 2018
Feel free to bring your cat, dog, or miniature horse, but leave the hedgehogs, ferrets, insects, rodents, snakes, spiders, sugar gliders, birds, and reptiles at home.

— katherine lagrave, Condé Nast Traveler, "JetBlue Tightens Policy on Emotional Support Animals (But Still Allows Mini Horses)," 6 June 2018
At first, the tenants made basic demands: No more rodents or mold.

— matthew ormseth, Courant Community, "These Tenants Took On A Millionaire Absentee Landlord — And Won," 3 June 2018
Police in Macomb, Illinois, found dozens of small animals dead inside Macomb Pet Land on Saturday, May 26, 2018, including rabbits, rodents, reptiles and fish.

— kaitlyn schwers, kansascity, "Pet store was closed for maintenance. 41 animals were dead inside, Illinois cops say," 30 May 2018
The discovery of this type of episodic memory in rodents may someday help advance the development of new drugs to treat Alzheimer's disease, said Jonathon Crystal, a professor and director of the neurosciences program at IU-Bloomington.

— dwight adams, Indianapolis Star, "Here's how memory in animals may improve treatments for Alzheimer's," 10 May 2018
The recent college grad, who is now in stable condition after spending 10 days in critical condition in the intensive care unit, says his cabin was filled with rodents.

— jessica leigh mattern, Country Living, "22-Year-Old Contracts Deadly Virus After Staying in State Park Cabin," 21 July 2017
Some desert rodents survive without ever drinking a single drop of water.

— rachael bay, Scientific American, "Can Yellow Warblers Adapt to a Warmer Climate?," 29 May 2018

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

Origin and Etymology of rodent

borrowed from the base of New Latin Rodentia, order name, from neuter plural of Latin rōdent-, rōdens, present participle of rōdere "to gnaw, nibble, eat away," perhaps going back to Indo-European *Hr̥h₃d-, *Hreh₃d-, whence also Hittite ardu- "saw (off)," Sanskrit rádati "(s/he) bites, gnaws, cuts, opens"

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1830

in the meaning defined at sense 1

See Words from the same year