brown rat

noun

: a common domestic rat (Rattus norvegicus) that has been introduced worldwide

called also Norway rat

Examples of brown rat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Then, the most prevalent species was the brown rat or Rattus norvegicus. Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2024 Riegel and others also had a chance to compare notes with an array of rat experts from Seattle, Boston, Washington, D.C., and British Columbia, Canada. Unlike New York, New Orleans faces a pernicious rat situation because the city is going after not just brown rats, but also black rats. Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2024 For example, brown rats typically burrow in the ground, near humans. Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 6 Oct. 2024 But the history, evolution and ecology of rats – particularly the brown rat – isn’t well understood. Nathan Rott, NPR, 20 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for brown rat 

Word History

First Known Use

1737, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of brown rat was in 1737

Dictionary Entries Near brown rat

Cite this Entry

“Brown rat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brown%20rat. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

brown rat

noun
: the common rat that is found about human dwellings

Medical Definition

brown rat

noun
: a common domestic rat of the genus Rattus (R. norvegicus) that has been introduced worldwide

called also Norway rat

More from Merriam-Webster on brown rat

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