wood rat
1
6.7
- noun
- /wʊd ræt/
- US
:
rata de madera
- During the winter, the wood rat builds nests using twigs and leaves to stay warm and protected.
Examples
-
In the south, wood rats laid dry twigs and grasses at the base of the wall and around all structures but the gate and the stables.
Fiction book (1994) -
The wood rat is known for its large ears and fluffy tail, often seen foraging among the underbrush.
-
Many animals, including the wood rat, rely on the dense vegetation of the forest for food and shelter.
Synonyms
1
7.3
A small North American animal like a rat with a bushy tail that collects objects
A small rodent like a mouse from North America with a bushy tail that collects things for its nest
A large rat-like animal with grey-brown fur that lives in forests in the southeastern United States
A small animal like a mouse with a thick bushy tail that lives in western North America and stores food
A North American wood rat with dark feet that builds large stick nests
Surface Forms
Morphology
The meaning 'a rat that lives in wooded areas' is directly and transparently derived from combining 'wood' (a wooded tract) and 'rat' (a rodent); it denotes a type of rat associated with woods rather than an idiomatic sense. This noun+noun compounding pattern that indicates type or habitat is common cross-linguistically, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents would readily infer the meaning.
Etymology
The noun wood rat is a simple name that puts wood and rat together to paint the picture of a rat living in the woods that builds nests from twigs and other bits. Because it often collects things and makes big nests, it is also called a 'pack rat', so the name helps you remember this animal.