Definitions
01the animal
A2 · Elementary Countable noun
n. a small furry animal with a short tail that people often keep as a pet.
n. a small Old World rodent of the subfamily Cricetinae, characterized by large cheek pouches and a short tail.
“My younger brother cleans his hamster's cage every Saturday morning.”
“The Syrian hamster is perhaps the most popular breed for domestic ownership due to its manageable size and solitary nature.”
Synonyms
02to hoard or store
C2 · Proficiency Informal
v. to hide or store things away in a secret place, like how the animal stores food in its cheeks.
v. to store or secrete items privately for future use, analogous to the way a hamster utilizes its cheek pouches.
“During the sale, she started to hamster away extra supplies in the garage.”
“Economists noted that consumers began to hamster essential goods in anticipation of the projected supply chain disruptions.”
Usage
Often used as an intransitive verb or with a direct object.
Teaching tip
This verbal use is much less common than the noun and is primarily used to describe hoarding behavior.
Antonyms
Etymology
Borrowed from German Hamster (see for etymology). Displaced earlier term German rat.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Related words
Idioms
01. hamster wheel
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.A2 KeyIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.3.0–4.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 2.0–2.524–43TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.225–549
- Frequency
- Frequent
- Level
- A2 · Elementary
- Updated
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QR code
englishreference.com/q/hamster
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0