Gerbille

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Gerbil \Ger"bil\ (j[~e]r"b[i^]l), Gerbille \Ger`bille"\
     (zh[asl]r`b[-e]l"), n. [F. gerbille. Cf. {Jerboa}.]
     1. (Zool.) One of several species of small, jumping, murine
        burrowing rodents, of the genus {Gerbillus} and related
        genera of the subfamily {Gerbillinae}. They have long soft
        pale fur and hind legs adapted for leaping. In their


        leaping powers they resemble the jerboa. They inhabit
        Africa, India, and Southern Europe.
        [1913 Webster + WordNet 1.5]
  
     2. (Zool.) A rodent ({Meriones unguiculatus}) of the
        subfamily {Gerbillinae} that is commonly kept as a pet; it
        is also called the {tamarisk gerbil}, {sand rat} and
        {jird}. Its natural habitats are the dry regions of
        Northern Africa and Asia.
        [PJC]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  gerbille
       n : small Old World burrowing desert rodent with long soft pale
           fur and hind legs adapted for leaping [syn: {gerbil}]