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

How to keep copperheads away from your home Owens said the best way to keep copperheads away is to remove tall grass and shrubs and anything else that could attract rodents near your home. —Evan Moore july 1, Charlotte Observer, 1 July 2025

Coyotes can also help manage the city’s rodent problem and keep other wildlife populations, like Canada geese and raccoons, in check. —David Lei, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 June 2025

So, the changes may be related to the various ways that an increasingly urban habitat impacted these rodents. —Soo Kim, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 June 2025

According to the Northwoods Humane Society and Companion Animal Control, the cat probably managed to survive by drinking condensation from the container and eating rodents. —Kendall Malinchock, USA Today, 24 June 2025

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