rat

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word rat. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word rat, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say rat in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word rat you have here. The definition of the word rat will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofrat, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.
See also: Appendix:Variations of "rat"

English

A brown rat, one of the many species of rat.
English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
Commons
Commons
Wikimedia Commons has related media at:

Pronunciation

  • enPR: răt, IPA(key): /ɹæt/
  • Audio (US)(file)
  • Audio (UK)(file)
  • Rhymes: -æt

Etymology 1

From Middle English ratte, rat, rotte, from Old English rætt, from Proto-West Germanic *ratt, from Proto-Germanic *rattaz, *rattō (compare West Frisian rôt, Dutch rat), of uncertain origin, possibly from Proto-Indo-European *reh₁d- (“to scrape, scratch, gnaw”). However, the rat may have been unknown in Northern Europe in antiquity, and the Proto-Germanic word may have referred to a different animal; see *rattaz for more. Attestation of this family of words begins in the 12th century. (Can this(+) etymology be sourced?)

Some of the Germanic cognates show considerable consonant variation, e.g. Middle Low German ratte, radde; Middle High German rate, ratte, ratze. The irregularity may be symptomatic of a late dispersal of the word, although Kroonen accounts for it with a Proto-Germanic stem *raþō nom., *ruttaz gen., showing both ablaut and a Kluge's law alternation, with the variation arising from varying remodellings in the descendants. Kroonen states that this requires a Proto-Indo-European etymon in final *t and is incompatible with the usual derivation from Proto-Indo-European *reh₁d- (“to scrape, scratch, gnaw”).

Noun

rat (plural rats)

  1. (zoology) A medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus Rattus.
    • 2013 May-June, Charles T. Ambrose, “Alzheimer’s Disease”, in American Scientist, volume 101, number 3, page 200:
      Similar studies of rats have employed four different intracranial resorbable, slow sustained release systems—surgical foam, a thermal gel depot, a microcapsule or biodegradable polymer beads.
  2. (informal) Any of the numerous members of several rodent families (e.g. voles and mice) that resemble true rats in appearance, usually having a pointy snout, a long, bare tail, and body length greater than about 12 cm, or 5 inches.
  3. (informal) A person who is known for betrayal; a scoundrel; a quisling.
    rat bastard
    What a rat, leaving us stranded here!
    • 1936, F.J. Thwaites, chapter XVIII, in The Redemption, Sydney: H. John Edwards, published 1940, page 185:
      "Ah, so you damn rat, this is a put-up job eh?"
  4. (informal) An informant or snitch.
  5. (informal) A scab: a worker who acts against trade union policies.
  6. (slang) A person who routinely spends time at a particular location.
    Our teenager has become a mall rat.
    He loved hockey and was a devoted rink rat.
  7. A wad of shed hair used as part of a hairstyle.
  8. A roll of material used to puff out the hair, which is turned over it.
  9. (UK, north-west London, slang, vulgar) Vagina.
    Get your rat out.
  10. (chiefly informal) Short for muskrat.
    • 1910, L. W. Pierce, “Muskrats are fast disappearing”, in Hunter-trader-trapper, page 70:
      The price of rats began to rise and soon after the marsh froze over, spearing rats began, which was done with a one tine three-eighths inch steel rod, with a wooden handle […]
    • 1929, E. J. Dailey, in Hardings Magazine's Question Box, printed in Fur Fish Game, page 73:
      Where natural marshes, or natural foods are found, are best places for raising muskrats. Louisiana and other southern states raise millions of rats, but they do not bring as good prices as northern raised ones. Delaware and Maryland have famed marshes. Other states are becoming noted for muskrat raising, also.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Terms derived from rat
Translations
See also

Verb

rat (third-person singular simple present rats, present participle ratting, simple past and past participle ratted)

  1. (of a dog, etc.) To hunt or kill rats.
  2. (intransitive) To betray a political party, cause or principle; to betray someone, to desert a person or thing.
  3. (informal, intransitive) To work as a scab, going against trade union policies.
  4. (chiefly US) To backcomb (hair).
    • 2021, Rickie Lee Jones, Last Chance Texaco, Grove Press, published 2022, page 31:
      In 1962, the higher a girl's hair was ratted the more available she was, it was simply understood.
  5. (intransitive, with on or out) To inform on someone; to betray someone to the police or authorities.
    He ratted on his coworker.
    He is going to rat us out!
Synonyms
Translations
The translations below need to be checked and inserted above into the appropriate translation tables. See instructions at Wiktionary:Entry layout § Translations.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Guus Kroonen, The Proto-Germanic n-stems (2011), page 222

Etymology 2

From Middle English ratten, further etymology unknown. Compare Middle High German ratzen (“to scratch; rasp; tear”). Could be related to write. See also rit.

Noun

rat (plural rats)

  1. (regional) A scratch or a score.
  2. (nautical, regional) A place in the sea with rapid currents and crags where a ship is likely to be torn apart in stormy weather.

Verb

rat (third-person singular simple present rats, present participle ratting, simple past and past participle ratted)

  1. (regional) To scratch or score.
    He ratted a vertical line on his face with a pocket knife.
  2. (regional, rare, obsolete) To tear, rip, rend.
    Ratted to shreds.
  3. Damn, drat, blast; used in oaths.
    • 1904, Rafael Sabatini, chapter XXVI, in The Tavern Knight:
      “But, rat me, sir,” cried Foster in bewilderment, “tis too generous—'pon honour it is. I can't consent to it. No, rat me, I can't.”
Usage notes

The verb rat is rarely used in the second sense. In the sense to tear, rip, rend, the form to-rat is more common. Compare German zerreißen (“to rip up, tear, rend”).

References

Etymology 3

Noun

rat (plural rats)

  1. (military, slang) A ration.
    • 2014, John, Buffoon, page 243:
      With regards to the testing of his product, the initial blood analysis had come back confirming huge, distinctive nutritional superiority for Stewart's military ration pack. Given that the policy of the British Army is to be fully ready for war at the drop of a hat, he was sitting on the potential of supplying new rats for the entire army […]
Derived terms

Anagrams

Catalan

Pronunciation

Noun

rat m (plural rats)

  1. rat
    Synonym: rata

Further reading

Danish

Etymology

From Middle Low German rat (“wheel”), from Old Saxon rath.

Pronunciation

Noun

rat n (singular definite rattet, plural indefinite rat)

  1. wheel, steering wheel

Inflection

Declension of rat
neuter
gender 		Singular Plural
indefinite definite indefinite definite
nominative rat rattet rat rattene
genitive rats rattets rats rattenes

Dutch

Alternative forms

  • rot (Northern Dutch, dialectal)

Etymology

From Middle Dutch ratte.

Pronunciation

Noun

rat f (plural ratten, diminutive ratje n)

  1. (zoology) A rat, medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus Rattus, or of certain other genera in the family Muridae.
  2. (informal) Any of the numerous, fairly large members of several rodent families that resemble true rats in appearance.
  3. (informal) A traitor; a scoundrel; a quisling.
  4. (informal) An informant or snitch.
  5. (informal) An urchin.
  6. (informal) A pauper; undesirable commoner.
  7. (slang) A watch.

Derived terms

- animal species

Descendants

  • Afrikaans: rot
  • Jersey Dutch: rot
  • Negerhollands: rotto, roto
    • → Virgin Islands Creole: roto (dated)
  • →? Kari'na: alata (via Sranantongo, possibly from Spanish)
  • →? Saramaccan: alátu (possibly from Spanish)

French

Etymology

Inherited from Middle French rat (“rat”), from Old French rat (“rat”).

Pronunciation

Noun

rat m (plural rats, feminine rate)

  1. rat
  2. (informal) sweetheart
  3. scrooge

Derived terms

Related terms

Further reading

Anagrams

Indonesian

Etymology

From Javanese rat (ꦫꦠ꧀),

Pronunciation

Noun

rat (first-person possessive ratku, second-person possessive ratmu, third-person possessive ratnya)

  1. (archaic) world
    Synonyms: alam, dunia, jagat

Further reading

Kalasha

Etymology

From Sanskrit रात्रि (rātri). Cognate with Hindi रात (rāt).

Noun

rat (Arabic رات)

  1. night

Maltese

Pronunciation

Verb

rat

  1. third-person feminine singular perfect of ra

Middle Dutch

Etymology 1

From Old Dutch *rath, from Proto-Germanic *raþą, from Proto-Indo-European *Hret-.

Noun

rat n

  1. wheel
    Synonym: wiel
Inflection

This noun needs an inflection-table template.

Descendants

Etymology 2

From Old Dutch *rath, from Proto-Germanic *raþaz, from Proto-Indo-European *Hret-.

Adjective

rat

  1. fast, quick
Inflection
Adjective
Masculine Feminine Neuter Plural
Nominative Indefinite rat radde rat radde
Definite radde radde
Accusative Indefinite radden radde rat radde
Definite radde
Genitive rats radder rats radder
Dative radden radder radden radden
Descendants

Further reading

Middle English

Noun

rat

  1. Alternative form of ratte

Norman

Etymology

From Old French rat (“rat”).

Noun

rat m (plural rats)

  1. (Jersey, Guernsey) rat

Derived terms

Occitan

Pronunciation

  • Audio (Languedocien)(file)

Noun

rat m (plural rats)

  1. (Rattus rattus) black rat

Synonyms

Derived terms

Related terms

References

  1. ^ Gui Benoèt, "Las bèstias", 2008, Toulouse, IEO Edicions, 2008, →ISBN, p. 161

Old French

Etymology

Of Germanic origin, from Old High German rato (“rat”) or Frankish *rato (“rat”).

Noun

rat oblique singular, m (oblique plural raz or ratz, nominative singular raz or ratz, nominative plural rat)

  1. rat (rodent)

Descendants

References

Brachet, A. (1873) “rat”, in Kitchin, G. W., transl., Etymological dictionary of the French language (Clarendon Press Series), 1st edition, London: Oxford/MacMillan and Co.

Old Javanese

Etymology

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *daʀat.

Noun

rat

  1. land

Romani

Etymology 1

Inherited from Prakrit 𑀭𑀢𑁆𑀢 (ratta), from Sanskrit रक्त (rakta). Cognate with dialectal Hindi रात (rāt) and Punjabi ਰੱਤ (ratta).

Pronunciation

IPA(key): /ɾat/

Noun

rat m (nominative plural rata)

  1. blood

Etymology 2

Inherited from Prakrit 𑀭𑀢𑁆𑀢𑀺 (ratti), from Sanskrit रात्रि (rātri).

Alternative forms

Pronunciation

IPA(key): /ɾat/, /ɾʲat/

Noun

rat f (nominative plural ratǎ)

  1. night
Derived terms

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “rakta1”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 610
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Boretzky, Norbert, Igla, Birgit (1994) “rat²”, in Wörterbuch Romani-Deutsch-Englisch für den südosteuropäischen Raum : mit einer Grammatik der Dialektvarianten [Romani-German-English dictionary for the Southern European region] (in German), Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, →ISBN, page 243a
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Dieter W. Halwachs (2001 September) “Origin and Denomination”, in ROMBASE Cultural Database‎, Graz, Austria, archived from the original on 19 August 2021
  4. ^ Marcel Courthiade (2009) “o rat, -es- ʒ. -a, -en-”, in Melinda Rézműves, editor, Morri angluni rromane ćhibǎqi evroputni lavustik = Első rromani nyelvű európai szótáram : cigány, magyar, angol, francia, spanyol, német, ukrán, román, horvát, szlovák, görög [My First European-Romani Dictionary: Romani, Hungarian, English, French, Spanish, German, Ukrainian, Romanian, Croatian, Slovak, Greek] (overall work in Hungarian and English), Budapest: Fővárosi Onkormányzat Cigány Ház--Romano Kher, →ISBN, page 303ab
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 Turner, Ralph Lilley (1969–1985) “rāˊtrī”, in A Comparative Dictionary of the Indo-Aryan Languages, London: Oxford University Press, page 619
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Boretzky, Norbert, Igla, Birgit (1994) “rat¹”, in Wörterbuch Romani-Deutsch-Englisch für den südosteuropäischen Raum : mit einer Grammatik der Dialektvarianten [Romani-German-English dictionary for the Southern European region] (in German), Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz Verlag, →ISBN, pages 242b-243a
  7. ^ Marcel Courthiade (2009) “i rat, -ǎ- ʒ. -ǎ, -ěn- = e rǎt, -ǎ- ʒ. -ǎ, -ěn- = e rǎt/ǐ, -ǎ- ʒ. -ǎ, -ěn-”, in Melinda Rézműves, editor, Morri angluni rromane ćhibǎqi evroputni lavustik = Első rromani nyelvű európai szótáram : cigány, magyar, angol, francia, spanyol, német, ukrán, román, horvát, szlovák, görög [My First European-Romani Dictionary: Romani, Hungarian, English, French, Spanish, German, Ukrainian, Romanian, Croatian, Slovak, Greek] (overall work in Hungarian and English), Budapest: Fővárosi Onkormányzat Cigány Ház--Romano Kher, →ISBN, page 303b

Romansch

Etymology

From Frankish *rato (“rat”).

Noun

rat m (plural rats)

  1. (Surmiran) rat

Synonyms

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

Inherited from Proto-Slavic *ortь, from the o-grade of Proto-Indo-European *h₃er- (“to rise, to attack”), cognate to Ancient Greek ἔρις (éris, “quarrel, strife”), Sanskrit ऋति (ṛti, “assault”) and Proto-Germanic *ernustuz (“struggle, fight”).

Pronunciation

Noun

rȁt m (Cyrillic spelling ра̏т, relational adjective rȁtnī)

  1. war
    Synonym: vojna
    Samo idioti misle da rat r(j)ešava probleme. ― Only idiots think that war solves problems.

Declension

Declension of rat
singular plural
nominative rȁt rȁtovi
genitive rȁta rȁtōvā
dative rȁtu rȁtovima
accusative rȁt rȁtove
vocative rȁte rȁtovi
locative rȁtu rȁtovima
instrumental rȁtom rȁtovima

Torres Strait Creole

Etymology

From English rat.

Noun

rat

  1. rat or mouse

Synonyms

Volapük

Etymology

Borrowed from English rat.

Pronunciation

Noun

rat (nominative plural rats)

  1. rat (rodent of the family Muridae)

Declension

declension of rat
singular plural
nominative rat rats
genitive rata ratas
dative rate rates
accusative rati ratis
vocative 1 o rat! o rats!
predicative 2 ratu ratus
  • 1 status as a case is disputed
  • 2 in later, non-classical Volapük only

Hypernyms

Hyponyms

Derived terms

See also

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia