pack rat

noun

1

: wood rat

especially : a bushy-tailed rodent (Neotoma cinerea) of western North America that has well-developed cheek pouches and that hoards food and miscellaneous objects

2

: a person who collects or hoards especially unneeded items

Examples of pack rat in a Sentence

I'm a terrible pack rat. I never throw anything away.

Recent Examples on the Web

After a brief hike through some scrub, Wall finds a creosote bush studded with holes at the roots — evidence of pack rats that will provide the snake with sustenance. —Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 5 May 2024

Working from the assumption that hoarding is a damaging psychological condition, and not just an annoying habit, the researchers got previously incorrigible pack rats to take videos and photos of their treasured possessions. —Joe Queenan, WSJ, 9 Nov. 2023

Hoff has a unique combination of long experience with electronic design and long-standing pack rat habits. —IEEE Spectrum, 8 Oct. 2022

One of my favorite episodes features the pack rats Patty and Debra. —Morgan Meis, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2023

Word History

First Known Use

1885, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

pack rat

noun

1

: wood rat

especially : a bushy-tailed rodent of western North America that stores food and loose objects

2

: a person who collects or hoards especially unneeded items