Rodent

/ˈroʊdənt/ noun

Definition

A small mammal with sharp front teeth that never stop growing; rats, mice, squirrels, and beavers are all rodents.

Etymology

From Latin 'rodere' (to gnaw, eat away). The term was formally adopted in the 1800s to classify the mammalian order characterized by continuously growing incisors.

Kelly Says

Rodents are the most successful mammals on Earth—they make up 40% of all mammal species!—and their secret is those ever-growing teeth that require constant gnawing, which accidentally makes them perfect engineers who carve through almost anything.

Related Words

Explore More Words

Get the Word Orb API

Complete word intelligence in one call. Free tier — 50 lookups/day.