gerbil
Americannoun
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gerbils
plural
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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.
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Also called tamarisk gerbil. a jird, Meriones unguiculatus, that is popular as a pet.
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of gerbil
1840–50; < French gerbille < New Latin gerbillus, diminutive of gerbo jerboa
Explanation
A gerbil is a small, mouse-like animal that's often kept as a pet. If you're thinking about adopting a gerbil, you might consider getting two — they're very sociable! Gerbil comes from the Latin genus Gerbillus and its Arabic source, yarbu. There are many different kinds of gerbils, but the Mongolian species is most commonly sold in pet stores. Native to hot climates, these burrowing rodents require bedding to tunnel through and shred, as well as a warm, dry environment to thrive. In the wild, gerbils scamper through grasslands and deserts in Asia and Africa, tunneling underground to evade predators.
Vocabulary lists containing gerbil
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
“I found that you can get a gerbil for four dollars and 99 cents,” he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2023
For me, it was about getting off the gerbil wheel of thoughts constantly spinning in my mind that made it hard to focus.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 21, 2022
He fears that with Americans' attention span at gerbil level that there is a chance that people will forget.
From Salon ● May 12, 2022
Carl could see the gerbil wheel spinning in my brain.
From Slate ● Jun. 27, 2020
One terrified gerbil clung to the exercise wheel, shaking with fear.
From "Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher" by Bruce Coville
When the family returned to see what remained, there was an unexpected small piece of good news - Snowy and Fluffy, the family's two gerbils, had survived.
From BBC ● Sep. 11, 2026
“We joked about getting him one of those water dispensers that gerbils use,” says Crawford.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026
The less popular pet species — your gerbils, iguanas, and cockatoos — should be grateful.
From Salon ● Sep. 13, 2024
Domestic rats, color-pointed gerbils, and American minks can also carry the mutation.
From National Geographic ● Oct. 27, 2023
Roli arrives with the twins, who naturally grab two fistfuls of Goldfish crackers and stuff their cheeks like gerbils while they wait.
From "Merci Suárez Changes Gears" by Meg Medina
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
