rodent
n. countablen. a small mammal with strong front teeth that it uses for biting and chewing things. Common examples include mice, rats, and squirrels.
n. any of a diverse group of mammals characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors in each of the upper and lower jaws.
A small rodent was chewing on the wooden fence.
The warehouse manager called an exterminator after finding evidence that a rodent had nested in the grain sacks.
While many people view any urban rodent as a pest, these animals play a vital role in the ecosystem by dispersing seeds and serving as a primary food source for birds of prey.
From Latin rōdēns, rōdent- (“gnawer; one who gnaws”), present participle of rōdō (“to gnaw”).
Often used as a collective term in biological or pest-control contexts.