muskrat — ☆ muskrat [musk′rat΄ ] n. pl. muskrats or muskrat 1. any of various American rodents (family Cricetidae) living in water and having glossy brown fur, a long tail, webbed hind feet, and a musklike odor 2. its fur … English World dictionary
muskrat — (n.) also musk rat, 1610s, alteration (by association with musk and rat) of musquash, from Algonquian (probably Powhatan) muscascus, lit. it is red, so called for its colorings. From cognate Abenaki muskwessu comes variant form musquash (1620s) … Etymology dictionary
muskrat — ► NOUN ▪ a large semiaquatic North American rodent with a musky smell, valued for its fur … English terms dictionary
Muskrat — For the G.I. Joe character, see Muskrat (G.I. Joe). Muskrat Temporal range: Recent Conservation status … Wikipedia
muskrat — /musk rat /, n., pl. muskrats, (esp. collectively) muskrat. 1. a large, aquatic, North American rodent, Ondatra zibethica, having a musky odor. 2. its thick, light brown fur, used for coats, for hats, as a trimming, etc. [1680 90, Amer.; alter.,… … Universalium
muskrat — noun (plural muskrat or muskrats) Etymology: probably by folk etymology from a word of Algonquian origin; akin to Massachusett musquash muskrat Date: 1607 an aquatic rodent (Ondatra zibethica) of the United States and Canada with a long scaly… … New Collegiate Dictionary
muskrat — UK [ˈmʌskræt] / US [ˈmʌsˌkræt] noun [countable] Word forms muskrat : singular muskrat plural muskrats a North American animal hunted for its thick brown fur … English dictionary
muskrat — /ˈmʌskræt/ (say muskrat) noun (plural muskrats, muskrat) 1. a large aquatic North American rodent, Ondatra zibethica, with a musky smell. 2. its thick, light brown fur. {alteration, by folk etymology, of musquash} …
muskrat — Desman Des man (d[e^]s man), n. [Cf. Sw. desman musk.] (Zo[ o]l.) An amphibious, insectivorous mammal found in Russia ({Myogale moschata}). It is allied to the moles, but is called {muskrat} by some English writers. [Written also {d[ae]sman}.] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
muskrat — noun a large semiaquatic North American rodent with a musky smell, valued for its fur. [Ondatra zibethicus.] ↘the fur of the muskrat … English new terms dictionary
