jerboa

American  

[jer-boh-uh, jer-] / dʒərˈboʊ ə, dʒɛr- /

noun

1. any of various mouselike rodents of North Africa and Asia, as of the genera Jaculus and Dipus, with long hind legs used for jumping.

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jerboa British  

/ dʒɜːˈbəʊə /

noun

1. any small nocturnal burrowing rodent of the family Dipodidae, inhabiting dry regions of Asia and N Africa, having pale sandy fur, large ears, and long hind legs specialized for jumping

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Etymology

Origin of jerboa

1655–65; < New Latin < Arabic yarbūʿ; gerbil

Example Sentences

From those transcriptomes of mouse and jerboa feet, they were able to narrow the pool of potential genes tied to foot size down by 90%, leaving a total of 1755.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 23, 2021

With its large ears and whiskered nose, you’d be forgiven for mistaking the jerboa for a mouse … at least from the stomach up.

From Science Magazine • Nov. 23, 2021

Indeed, the best footage here is captured at night, from the slinkings of the bizarre horned viper to the evasive tactics of the lesser jerboa, a tiny rodent with kangaroo-like hind legs.

From The Guardian • Feb. 22, 2013

A type of hopping rodent called the jerboa, native to North Africa and Asia, also has a superlong tail. 

From National Geographic

Leap -- N. leap, jump, hop, spring, bound, vault, saltation†. ance, caper; curvet, caracole; gambade†, gambado†; capriole, demivolt†; buck, buck jump; hop skip and jump; falcade†. kangaroo, jerboa; chamois, goat, frog, grasshopper, flea; buckjumper†; wallaby.

From Roget's Thesaurus of English Words and Phrases by Roget, Peter Mark