abrocome

noun

ab·​ro·​come

ˈabrəˌkōm

plural -s

: either of two ratlike hystricomorph rodents having fine soft fur and large rounded ears and constituting a genus (Abrocoma) restricted to the Andes mountains

called also rat chinchilla

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from New Latin Abrocoma, borrowed from Greek habrós "graceful, delicate" + kómē "hair"

First Known Use

circa 1911, in the meaning defined above

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