Gerbil

Gerbil
Gerbil Ger"bil (j[~e]r"b[i^]l), Gerbille Ger`bille" (zh[asl]r`b[-e]l"), n. [F. gerbille. Cf. {Jerboa}.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) One of several species of small, jumping, murine burrowing rodents, of the genus {Gerbillus} and related genera of the subfamily {Gerbillinae}. They have long soft pale fur and hind legs adapted for leaping. In their leaping powers they resemble the jerboa. They inhabit Africa, India, and Southern Europe. [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]

2. (Zo["o]l.) A rodent ({Meriones unguiculatus}) of the subfamily {Gerbillinae} that is commonly kept as a pet; it is also called the {tamarisk gerbil}, {sand rat} and {jird}. Its natural habitats are the dry regions of Northern Africa and Asia. [PJC]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • gerbil — 1849, from Fr. gerbille, from Mod.L. Gerbillus, the genus name, from gerbo, from Arabic yarbu. Earlier English form, jarbuah (1660s), was directly from Arabic …   Etymology dictionary

  • gerbil — ► NOUN ▪ a burrowing mouse like desert rodent. ORIGIN Latin gerbillus little jerboa …   English terms dictionary

  • gerbil — or gerbille [jʉr′bəl] n. [Fr gerbille < ModL gerbillus < gerbo, JERBOA] any of a subfamily (Gerbillinae, family Cricetidae) of burrowing rodents, with long hind legs and hairy tail, native to Africa and Asia: often kept as a pet …   English World dictionary

  • Gerbil — Taxobox name = Gerbil fossil range = Late Miocene Recent image width = 250px regnum = Animalia phylum = Chordata classis = Mammalia ordo = Rodentia superfamilia = Muroidea familia = Muridae subfamilia = Gerbillinae subfamilia authority = Gray,… …   Wikipedia

  • gerbil — /jerr beuhl/, n. 1. any of numerous small burrowing rodents of the genus Gerbillus and related genera, of Asia, Africa, and southern Russia, having long hind legs used for jumping. 2. Also called tamarisk gerbil. a jird, Meriones unguiculatus,… …   Universalium

  • gerbil — UK [ˈdʒɜː(r)b(ə)l] / US [ˈdʒɜrb(ə)l] noun [countable] Word forms gerbil : singular gerbil plural gerbils a small animal like a mouse with long back legs, that children often keep as a pet …   English dictionary

  • gerbil — [[t]ʤɜ͟ː(r)bɪl[/t]] gerbils N COUNT A gerbil is a small, furry animal that is often kept as a pet …   English dictionary

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