rodent

noun

ro·​dent ˈrō-dᵊnt 

1

: any of an order (Rodentia) of relatively small gnawing mammals (such as a mouse, squirrel, or beaver) that have in both jaws a single pair of incisors with a chisel-shaped edge

2

: a small mammal (such as a rabbit or a shrew) other than a true rodent

rodent adjective

Examples of rodent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Eleven other restaurants and markets, including The Cheesecake Factory and Fire Wings locations in Sacramento, received citations for food safety violations ranging from mold to rodent droppings to cockroaches. —Camila Pedrosa, Sacramento Bee, 21 Feb. 2025

Notably, this opiate pathway was not activated in the rodents' brains when they were given additional regular or fatty food, rather than sugar; and when the pathway was blocked, full mice seemed to lose their metaphorical dessert stomachs and did not eat extra sugar. —Josh Hammer, Newsweek, 14 Feb. 2025

Six Fort Worth restaurants were closed and rodents and roaches found at others, according to a report from the city’s latest round of restaurant inspections. —Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 12 Feb. 2025

Cockroaches are $10, pre-frozen rodents are $25 and vegetables are $5. —Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 10 Feb. 2025

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from the base of New Latin Rodentia, order name, from neuter plural of Latin rōdent-, rōdens, present participle of rōdere "to gnaw, nibble, eat away," perhaps going back to Indo-European *Hr̥h₃d-, *Hreh₃d-, whence also Hittite ardu- "saw (off)," Sanskrit rádati "(s/he) bites, gnaws, cuts, opens"

First Known Use

1830, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing rodent

• rodent ulcer

Kids Definition

rodent

noun

ro·​dent ˈrōd-ᵊnt 

: any of an order of fairly small mammals (as mice, squirrels, or beavers) that have sharp front teeth used for gnawing

rodent adjective

Etymology

derived from Latin rodent-, rodens, a form of rodere "to gnaw" — related to erode

Medical Definition

rodent

noun

ro·​dent ˈrōd-ᵊnt 

: any mammal (as a mouse or rat) of the order Rodentia

rodent adjective