kangaroo rat

noun

: any of a genus (Dipodomys) of nocturnal burrowing rodents of arid parts of western North America that travel by hopping on their long hind legs and have a long tail and fur-lined cheek pouches

Illustration of kangaroo rat

Illustration of kangaroo rat

Examples of kangaroo rat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
For example, kangaroo rats keep manzanita seeds in their cheeks and bury them, allowing the plants to germinate and grow. — Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 25 June 2025 Named for its two-footing hopping movements, the giant kangaroo rat is the largest member of the family that includes kangaroo mice and pocket mice. — Sarah Linn, Sacbee.com, 22 Apr. 2026 The depths would have provided refuge for some soil-dwelling invertebrates, and, for the most part, burrowing small mammals like mice and kangaroo rats should have been able to descend deep enough to avoid the heat. — Anton Sorokin, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 Feb. 2025 These were probably giant kangaroo rats, a native species whose numbers have been growing since their listing as an endangered species in 1987. — Los Angeles Times, 10 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for kangaroo rat

Word History

First Known Use

1867, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of kangaroo rat was in 1867

Rhymes for kangaroo rat

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Browse Nearby Words

kangaroo pocket
kangaroo rat
kangaroo vine
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Cite this Entry

“Kangaroo rat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/kangaroo%20rat. Accessed 8 Jul. 2026.

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Kids Definition

kangaroo rat

noun
: a burrowing rodent of dry regions of the western U.S. that travels by hopping on its long hind legs

More from Merriam-Webster on kangaroo rat

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about kangaroo rat

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