lemmus lemmus

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Definition

Noun 1. A species of rodent: Lemmus lemmus is the scientific name for the Norway lemming, a small, short-tailed rodent found in the tundra regions of northern Scandinavia and northwestern Russia. It is known for its dramatic population fluctuations and periodic mass migrations.

Usage Notes
  • The term is used in formal, scientific, and zoological contexts. In general English, the common name "Norway lemming" is more frequently used.
  • It is a proper noun (the scientific name of a species) and is typically italicized in writing.
Examples
  • Scientific Context:
    • The study focused on the population cycles of Lemmus lemmus in northern Finland.
    • A key subject in arctic ecology is Lemmus lemmus, the Norway lemming.
  • General Context (using the common name derived from it):
    • The lemming (Lemmus lemmus) is often cited in discussions about animal migration myths.
Advanced Usage
  • The behavior of has entered popular culture and language metaphorically. The phrase "like lemmings" is used to criticize people who unthinkingly follow a crowd into a potentially dangerous situation, based on the inaccurate myth that the animals commit mass suicide by jumping off cliffs.
Variants and Related Words
  • Lemming (n): The common name for rodents of the subfamily Lemminae, which includes the genus . It most commonly refers to .
  • Norway lemming (n): The full common name for .
Synonyms
  • Norway lemming
  • (Colloquially) lemming
Idioms and Phrases
  • To behave like lemmings: To follow the actions of a group without independent thought or consideration of the consequences.
    • The investors behaved like lemmings, rushing to buy the stock just because everyone else was.
  • A lemming-like rush: A headlong, impulsive movement by a large group of people.
    • There was a lemming-like rush to adopt the new technology before it was properly tested.
Noun
  1. notable for mass migrations even into the sea where many drown

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