Definition

Noun: 1. A type of rodent: A wood rat is any of various small mammals belonging to the rodent family. They are characterized by soft fur, typically grey on the back and white on the belly, a furred tail, and large ears. They are found in the northern hemisphere. 2. An ecological host: Some species of wood rat are known to be carriers for ticks that can transmit Lyme disease.

Examples

• The wood rat built its nest, called a midden, from sticks and cactus parts.
• Researchers study the wood rat to understand its role in the spread of certain ticks.
• We spotted a wood rat with large ears scurrying under the brush.

Advanced Usage

• The term wood rat is often used in ecological and medical contexts when discussing disease vectors, as in: "The wood rat is a primary reservoir host for the spirochete that causes Lyme disease in this region."

Variants and Related Words

• Pack rat (n): A common name for certain species of wood rat, famous for collecting shiny objects.
• Trade rat (n): Another regional name for the wood rat.
• Neotoma (n): The scientific genus name for wood rats.

Synonyms

• Pack rat
• Trade rat
• Bushy-tailed woodrat (for specific species)

Notes on Meaning

• While wood rat is a common name, it specifically refers to rodents of the genus (in North America) and related genera. They are not true rats (genus ).
• A key distinguishing feature from true rats is their furred, rather than scaly, tail.

Noun

1. any of various small short-tailed rodents of the northern hemisphere having soft fur grey above and white below with furred tails and large ears; some are hosts for Ixodes pacificus and Ixodes scapularis (Lyme disease ticks)