: an aquatic rodent (Ondatra zibethicus) of the U.S. and Canada with a long scaly laterally compressed tail, webbed hind feet, and dark glossy brown fur
also: its fur or pelt
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Take a seat for a round-the-clock show: the ruffed grouse, cottontail rabbits, waterfowl and occasional muskrats that wander about, lured by the lake.—R. Daniel Foster, Forbes.com, 27 Mar. 2025 One East Hartford man shoots 100 muskrats for some reason.—Staff Report, Hartford Courant, 14 June 2025 Painter and Jensen have seen beavers, muskrats, pond turtles, deer and black bears roaming the grounds.—David Caraccio, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2025 Even in her early twenties, Long held staunch opinions on stocking colors and children’s frocks, Christmas cards and muskrat coats.—The New Yorker, 14 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for muskrat
Word History
Etymology
probably by folk etymology from a word of Algonquian origin; akin to Massachusett musquash muskrat
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