dormouse
Noun: A small, nocturnal rodent native to Europe, Asia, and Africa, characterized by a furry body, a long bushy tail, and the ability to enter a state of prolonged deep sleep (torpor or hibernation) during cold weather or food scarcity.
The word "dormouse" is used to refer to the animal itself. It is a countable noun. The plural form is irregular: dormice. * Example: "The dormouse is a protected species in many countries." * Example: "We saw several dormice nesting in the old barn."
- "The dormouse builds a nest in a tree hollow or a hedgerow."
- "During its winter sleep, the dormouse's body temperature and heart rate drop significantly."
- "Conservation efforts are underway to protect the habitat of the hazel dormouse."
- "To be as sleepy as a dormouse": An idiom describing someone who is very drowsy or ready to fall asleep, referencing the animal's long periods of torpor.
- Example: "After the long journey, the children were as sleepy as dormice."
- Dormice (n.): The standard plural form of "dormouse."
- Torpid (adj.): In a state of physical or mental inactivity; sluggish. This describes the dormouse's hibernating state.
- Hibernation (n.): The condition or period of an animal spending the winter in a dormant state.
- Rodent: The broader biological order to which dormice belong.
- (Hazel) dormouse: A common specific species ().
The word "dormouse" refers specifically to this family of rodents (Gliridae). It should not be confused with common house mice or other types of mice, as they are biologically distinct and have different behaviors, most notably the dormouse's hibernation.
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small furry-tailed squirrel-like Old World rodent that becomes torpid in cold weather
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