pine vole
1
8.7
- noun
- /paɪn voʊl/
- US
- Farmers are often concerned about the damage caused by pine voles to fruit tree roots.
Examples
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The pine vole spends most of its life in underground tunnels.
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We spotted a pine vole in the garden while digging up old roots.
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The pine vole is often found in grassy areas.
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I spotted a pine vole near the old oak tree.
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The pine vole burrows underground to create a safe home for its family.
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We spotted a pine vole foraging for food near the edge of the forest.
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The researcher studied the burrowing habits of the pine vole in its natural habitat.
Synonyms
9
6.3
A small animal like a mouse with a short tail that lives in fields and meadows
1
9.8
A small mouse-like animal that lives underground and eats plant roots in the eastern United States
A small animal like a mouse that lives in eastern United States woods and makes burrows
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is a straightforward noun modifier: 'pine' (a type of tree/habitat) + 'vole' (a small rodent) yields a vole associated with pines or pine habitats. This composition follows common cross-linguistic species/habitat naming patterns, so a B1 learner who knows both words can readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
Pine vole probably comes from what the animal is and where it lives: pine for the trees it often lives near, and vole for a small 'mouse-like' animal that makes tunnels. So the name fits a small burrowing creature often found around tree roots.