dormouse
Dormouse (noun) means a small rodent of the family Gliridae, found mostly in Europe. Example: “A hazel dormouse was found curled up in the hedge.”
How to use dormouse
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishA small, furry rodent that is known for sleeping a lot.
It is a neutral, everyday word for an animal.
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
A hazel _____ was found curled up in the hedge.
Etymology
Dormouse comes from Middle English dormowse, and its origin is uncertain. One suggestion links it to Old Norse dár, meaning benumbed, joined to mouse.