Ondatra

3 definitions found

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

  Ondatra \Ondatra\ prop. n.
     A genus of rodents including the muskrat ({Ondatra
     zibethica}).
  
     Syn: genus {Ondatra}.
          [WordNet 1.5]



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

  Muskrat \Musk"rat`\, n.
     1. (Zool.) A North American aquatic fur-bearing rodent
        ({Ondatra zibethica} formerly {Fiber zibethicus}). It
        resembles a rat in color and having a long scaly tail, but
        the tail is compressed, the hind feet are webbed, and the
        ears are concealed in the fur. It has scent glands which
        secrete a substance having a strong odor of musk. Called
        also {musquash}, {musk beaver}, {ondatra}, and sometimes
        {water rat}.
        [1913 Webster +PJC]
  
     2. (Zool.) The musk shrew.
        [1913 Webster]
  
     3. (Zool.) The desman.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  Ondatra
       n : muskrats [syn: {genus Ondatra}]