hazel mouse
- noun
- UK
:
ratón avellano
- The hazel mouse builds its nest high in the branches for safety.
Examples
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The hazel mouse is often difficult to spot due to its nocturnal lifestyle.
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I spotted a hazel mouse in the garden last night.
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Researchers tagged several hazel mice to monitor their movement in the forest.
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The hazel mice are known for their agility.
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Researchers tagged several hazel mice to monitor their movement in the forest.
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The hazel mouse is often difficult to spot due to its nocturnal lifestyle.
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The hazel mouse builds its nest high in the branches for safety.
Synonyms
587
1.0
A small animal with a pointed nose, small ears, and a long tail
3
6.9
A small furry animal like a mouse with a bushy tail that sleeps through winter
A small animal like a mouse that lives in trees with golden brown fur and sleeps through winter
Surface Forms
Morphology
The compound is transparently compositional: 'hazel' names the shrub (or a hazel-like colour/association) and 'mouse' names the small rodent, so the phrase clearly denotes a mouse associated with hazel (habitat or colour). This noun–noun modifier pattern is common and predictable across languages, so a B1 learner who knows both words can infer the meaning.
Etymology
Hazel mouse comes from the words hazel, the nut or tree, and mouse. Picture a tiny mouse living in the branches of a hazel tree with soft brown fur and a bushy tail, active at night, and that's why the name means 'a small, agile rodent' often hard to see.