multimammate rat

noun

mul·​ti·​mam·​mate rat
-ˈmam-ˌāt-
: any of several common African rodents of the genus Mastomys that have 12 rather than the usual five or six mammae on each side, are vectors of disease (as Lassa fever), and are used in medical research

called also multimammate mouse

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Multimammate rat.” Merriam-Webster.com Medical Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/medical/multimammate%20rat. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!