noun
muskrat
MUHSK-rat
noun
1
A large, semiaquatic North American rodent known for its musky smell and its dense, water-resistant fur.
"A muskrat slipped off the riverbank and vanished under the surface."
How to Use Muskrat
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA large rat-like animal that lives in and around water, named for its musky smell.
Word Forms
muskrats plural
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Etymology
Likely influenced by its musky odour and rat-like appearance, though the word may originally come from an Algonquian name that was reshaped to sound like "musk" and "rat."