French word

rongeur

Pronunciation

IPA/ʁɔ̃ʒœʁ/

Meaning

  • masculine nounrodent

Example

Un rongeur a rongé le câble électrique.

A rodent gnawed the electrical cable.

Illustration for rongeur (rodent)

More examples

Un rongeur a laissé des traces près du garde-manger.

A rodent left traces near the pantry.

Core concept

A mammal category defined by ever-growing incisors used to gnaw through hard material, from mice to larger species.

Common phrases

  • piège à rongeurs

    rodent trap

  • des rongeurs dans la maison

    rodents in the house

  • infestation de rongeurs

    rodent infestation

Similar words

rat: A somewhat large, thick-tailed rodent commonly found near houses and sewer areas.
souris: A small, thin-tailed mammal sometimes found indoors or in gardens.
écureuil: A small mammal active by day that climbs trees, has a bushy tail, and gathers nuts.
hamster: A small rodent commonly raised as a pet, with cheek pouches for carrying food.

Definition in French

Mammifères pourvus d'incisives antérieures qui poussent sans cesse et servent à ronger divers matériaux.

Word origin

The noun rongeur derives from ronger plus -eur, while ronger developed through Old French from Latin rodere, meaning "to gnaw."

Usage tips

  • Rongeur is broader than souris: a mouse is one kind of rongeur, but the category also includes many other animals.

Related words

  • rongergnawverb
  • rongégnawedadjective

Word lists with this word