Spanish word

ratoncillo

Pronunciation

IPA/ratonˈθiʝo/

Meaning

  • masculine nounlittle mouse

Example

Encontré un ratoncillo en el jardín esta mañana.

I found a little mouse in the garden this morning.

Illustration for ratoncillo (little mouse)

More examples

El ratoncillo dejó huellas pequeñas en la harina.

The little mouse left small footprints in the flour.

Core concept

A tiny mouse or mouse pup.

Common phrases

  • encontrar un ratoncillo en la casa

    find a little mouse in the house

  • contar un cuento sobre un ratoncillo

    tell a story about a little mouse

Similar words

ratón: Ordinary mouse seen in homes or outdoors, common and neutral in everyday life.
ratoncito: Very tiny, endearing mouse mentioned with affectionate, babylike tone.
cría: Young animal offspring, recently born and still dependent on parental care.

Definition in Spanish

Diminutivo de ratón que indica un ejemplar pequeño o la cría; uso habitual en contextos coloquiales con matiz afectivo.

Word origin

Diminutive of ratón created with -cillo to express small size or fondness, with the base ratón ultimately from Latin rattus.

Usage tips

  • Used mainly in informal speech to convey fondness rather than a biological category, so cría or ratón pequeño appear in formal or scientific contexts.

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