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brown rat
noun
: a common domestic rat (Rattus norvegicus) that has been introduced worldwide
called also Norway rat
Examples of brown rat in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Then, the most prevalent species was the brown rat or Rattus norvegicus.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2024
Riegel and others also had a chance to compare notes with an array of rat experts from Seattle, Boston, Washington, D.C., and British Columbia, Canada.
Unlike New York, New Orleans faces a pernicious rat situation because the city is going after not just brown rats, but also black rats.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2024
For example, brown rats typically burrow in the ground, near humans.
—Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2024
But the history, evolution and ecology of rats – particularly the brown rat – isn’t well understood.
—Nathan Rott, NPR, 20 Sep. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1737, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near brown rat
Cite this Entry
“Brown rat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brown%20rat. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Kids Definition
brown rat
noun
: the common rat that is found about human dwellings
Medical Definition
brown rat
noun
: a common domestic rat of the genus Rattus (R. norvegicus) that has been introduced worldwide
called also Norway rat
More from Merriam-Webster on brown rat
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about brown rat
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