rodent

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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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rodent

adjective

See rodent defined for English-language learners

See rodent defined for kids

Recent Examples of rodent from the Web

Critical violations concern the possible spread of foodborne illnesses, as opposed to violations of broken equipment or evidence of rodents.

— tom uhler, star-telegram, "Ever wonder how safe the food is at Rangers ballpark?," 9 Aug. 2017
Some rodents went on to develop abdominal infections, thanks to the bacteria Bacteroides fragilis.

— lacy schley, Discover Magazine, "Biological Building Blocks," 7 Aug. 2017
Cut a circular piece of chicken wire and use Krazy glue to affix it a few inches back in the opening to block rodents and wayward toys.

— matt woods, Popular Mechanics, "How to Make Underground Speaking Tubes," 2 Aug. 2017
SE Closed July 24 because of insects, rodents and other pests.

— terence mcardle, Washington Post, "D.C., Maryland and Virginia health code violations," 2 Aug. 2017
So far, there’s only one piece of personal artwork up—a black-and-white photograph on the mantelpiece of the six children, smiling and holding their various pets—dogs, reptiles, and rodents.

— evgenia peretz, vanityfair.com, "Angelina Jolie Solo," 26 July 2017
So far, there’s only one piece of personal artwork up—a black-and-white photograph on the mantelpiece of the six children, smiling and holding their various pets—dogs, reptiles, and rodents.

— jessica diehl, HWD, "Angelina Jolie Solo," 26 July 2017
Researchers also are deploying bait boxes to attract rodents.

— michael hill, The Seattle Times, "Tick towns: Researchers target neighborhoods in Lyme effort," 4 July 2017
Muskrats are medium-sized semi-aquatic rodents, commonly found throughout the U.S.

— kaitlyn schwers, kansascity.com, "No muskrat love after city discovers leaking spillways, damage to dams," 28 June 2017

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"

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First Known Use: 1830

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RODENT Defined for English Language Learners

rodent

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noun

Definition of rodent for English Language Learners

: a small animal (such as a mouse, rat, squirrel, or beaver) that has sharp front teeth

RODENT Defined for Kids

rodent

play

noun ro·dent \ ˈrō-dᵊnt \

Definition of rodent for Students

:a usually small mammal (as a squirrel, rat, mouse, or beaver) with sharp front teeth used in gnawing

Medical Dictionary

rodent

play

noun ro·dent \ ˈrōd-ᵊnt \

medical Definition of rodent

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

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rodent

adjective

Learn More about rodent

Spanish Central: Translation of rodent Nglish: Translation of rodent for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of rodent for Arabic speakers Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about rodent

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rodent

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rodent

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Recent Examples of rodent from the Web

Origin and Etymology of rodent

RODENT Defined for English Language Learners

rodent

Definition of rodent for English Language Learners

RODENT Defined for Kids

rodent

Definition of rodent for Students

Medical Dictionary

rodent

medical Definition of rodent

rodent

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