A hamster is a small, furry rodent often kept as a pet, known for its cheek pouches that can store food and its habit of running on a wheel. Hamsters are usually active at night.
From German “Hamster,” from Old High German “hamustro,” likely from a Slavic source such as Russian “chomjak.” The exact deeper roots are unclear.
The hamster’s famous cheek pouches can hold almost as much as its own body weight in food—like carrying a backpack inside your face. Its name wandered through several languages right along with the animal itself.
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