rodent

noun

ro·​dent ˈrō-dᵊnt 

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

rodent adjective

Examples of rodent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The organization notes that Phil’s year-round enclosure in the western Pennsylvania town is too small for the rodent to burrow, explore and hibernate properly. —David Matthews, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026

The windows are broken and boarded up, and the inside has become home to rodents and birds. —Kayla Moeller, CBS News, 21 Jan. 2026

In the early 1970s, John O’Keefe, a neuroscientist at University College London, discovered cells in the rat hippocampus, the brain’s memory hub, that responded to specific locations in the rodents’ enclosures. —Yasemin Saplakoglu, Quanta Magazine, 21 Jan. 2026

Protection against pests, vermin, and rodents in particular should also be top of any winterizing to-do list. —Kylie McConville, The Spruce, 21 Jan. 2026

Word History

Etymology

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"

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rodent

• rodent ulcer

Kids Definition

rodent

noun

ro·​dent ˈrōd-ᵊnt 

: any of an order of fairly small mammals (as mice, squirrels, or beavers) that have sharp front teeth used for gnawing

rodent adjective

Etymology

derived from Latin rodent-, rodens, a form of rodere "to gnaw" — related to erode

Medical Definition

rodent

noun

ro·​dent ˈrōd-ᵊnt 

: any mammal (as a mouse or rat) of the order Rodentia

rodent adjective