rodent

noun

ro·dent | \ ˈrō-dᵊnt

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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Examples of rodent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Fill any holes—or cracks in your foundation or walls—to avoid having insects and rodents enter your home. — Taylor Mead, House Beautiful, "The Ultimate Guide to Prepping Your Home for Spring," 25 Feb. 2019 Chicken feed would have to be stored in containers that can’t be accessed by rodents or other animals, according to the ordinance. — Martin E. Comas, OrlandoSentinel.com, "Seminole makes backyard chicken program permanent," 12 June 2018 Keep your pets from roaming and hunting voles or other rodents. — Michael Katz, idahostatesman, "First human case of plague in Idaho since 1992 confirmed in Elmore County child," 12 June 2018 Take a Look at Other Recent A-Heds Cats joined once more permanent settlements were established, possibly attracted by rodents who also found a home. — Sarah Toy, WSJ, "Cat Owners: Let’s Go Hiking! Cats: Yawn," 5 Mar. 2018 Owls dine on a smorgasbord of voles, mice, and other rodents that can pester urban or suburban homeowners, as well as large insects that can wreak havoc on your garden. — Leah Zerbe, Good Housekeeping, "How To Attract Owls To Your Backyard," 14 Aug. 2015 The police department posted video to its Facebook page of the rodent robber scurrying across the parking lot carrying a doughnut. — Natalie Dreier, ajc, "Squirrel caught stealing doughnut from police," 27 June 2018 This rubber trim prevents rodents (and bugs!) from sliding beneath your door. — Blair Donovan, Country Living, "How to Get Rid of Mice: The Ultimate Guide to a Rodent-Free Home," 28 Mar. 2019 King said Keller Canyon used the Hunters Point soil as a cover layer over garbage — meant to keep rodents and pests out and odors in. — Kimberly Veklerov, SFChronicle.com, "Pittsburg residents fear city dump tainted with radioactive waste from SF shipyard," 22 June 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.

History and Etymology for 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"