mole rat

or mole-rat, mole·rat

[ mohl-rat ]

noun

1. any of several eastern European burrowing rodents, especially those of the genus Spalax, having no tail, short limbs, and small eyes with permanently closed lids.
2. bandicoot ( def 2 ).

mole rat

noun

1. any burrowing molelike African rodent of the family Bathyergidae
2. any similar rodent, esp any member of the genus Spalax, of Asia and North Africa: family Spalacidae
3. the bandicoot rat See bandicoot

Word History and Origins

Origin of mole rat¹

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

He started in 2006 with the naked mole rat and has since photographed thousands more, including the Indochinese green magpie, the Arabian cobra, and the güiña, a small spotted cat from South America.

From National Geographic

If you expose mouse cells to DNA damage, they will get cancer; if you expose naked mole rat cells to the same damage, it’s going to be fixed.

From Scientific American

The strength of outdoor light is so much stronger than window light, it’s comparable to taking a naked mole rat from its underground lair and moving it to Mars.

From Seattle Times

Beyond just longevity, these hairless rodents also exhibit one of the most complex social structures known in mammals: a queen mole rat and castes of nonbreeding workers cooperatively live together in subterranean burrows.

From Scientific American

Not only did each mole rat have its own vocal signature, but each colony had its own distinct dialect, which was passed down, culturally, over generations.

From New York Times