Lexic.us

Definition of Hamster

1. Noun. Short-tailed Old World burrowing rodent with large cheek pouches.

Definition of Hamster

1. n. A small European rodent (Cricetus frumentarius). It is remarkable for having a pouch on each side of the jaw, under the skin, and for its migrations.

Definition of Hamster

1. Noun. A small, short-tailed Euroasian rodent, ''Cricetus frumentarius'', often kept as a pet. It is remarkable for having a pouch on each side of the jaw, under the skin, and for its migrations. ¹

2. Noun. (context: zoology) Any of various Old-world rodent species belonging to the subfamily ''Cricetinae''. ¹

¹ Source: wiktionary.com

Definition of Hamster

1. a burrowing rodent [n -S]

Medical Definition of Hamster

1. A small European rodent (Cricetus frumentarius). It is remarkable for having a pouch on each side of the jaw, under the skin, and for its migrations. A common name used to describe a subfamily of the muridae. Four of the more common genera are cricetus, cricetulus, mesocricetus, and phodopus. All hamsters are seed and plant feeders, store food, hibernate in winter, and breed throughout the year under laboratory conditions. Origin: G. Hamster. (06 Mar 2000)

Lexicographical Neighbors of Hamster

Literary usage of Hamster

Below you will find example usage of this term as found in modern and/or classical literature:

1. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine (1903)
"Pineal Melatonin Content throughout the hamster Estrous Cycle (40649)' MD ROLLAG, HJ CHEN, BN FERGUSON, AND RJ REITER niversity of Texas Health Science ..."

2. The New American Cyclopaedia: A Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge by George Ripley (1859)
"From one plantation in Louisiana he is said to have raised in one year a crop worth $150000. He was reputed to be the owner of 8000 slaves. hamster ..."

3. The American Cyclopaedia: A Popular Dictionary of General Knowledge by George Ripley, Charles Anderson Dana (1883)
"The hamster commits great havoc among the grain, by the large quantities which it ... The Canada hamster, and others so called, with external cheek pouches, ..."

4. Molecular Neurobiology: Proceedings of the 2nd NIMH Conference by Steven Zalcman (1995)
"This construct was then used to transfect Chinese hamster Ovary (CHO-K1) cells. Colony clones, selected for resistance to antibiotic G-418 sulfate, ..."

5. Read and Understand Stories and Activities by Jo Ellen Moore (1997)
"Gary's hamster Gary has a pet of his very own. It is small and furry. ... Gary named his hamster Hammy. He takes good care of his pet. ..."

6. Natural History of the Mammalia of India and Ceylon by Robert Armitage Sterndale (1884)
"The European hamster is a most savage little creature, and has been known to attack ... CRICETUS The Persian hamster. HABITAT. — Yarkand, Gilgit, Persia. ..."

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