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

Last March, officials said rodents were consuming drugs in the evidence room of the decaying New Orleans Police Department headquarters. —Kierra Frazier, CBS News, 16 Jan. 2025

Research suggests that even after being domesticated, cats continued to hunt, often targeting rodents that fed on human food supplies. —Michael Gfoeller and David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025

Sacramento County health inspectors closed the Cantonese restaurant due to a couple of major health violations, including rodent droppings throughout the facility. —Hannah Poukish, Sacramento Bee, 10 Jan. 2025

Their advice is to avoid contact with wild birds, poultry and rodents and to wash your hands after touching feces or objects that could be contaminated with saliva or mucus, such as bird feeders. —Will Stone, NPR, 6 Jan. 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