rat

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Category:Rats

• enPR: răt, IPA^(key): /ɹæt/

• Audio (US):

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• Audio (UK):

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• Rhymes: -æt

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 *Hreh₃d- (“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 *Hreh₃d- (“to scrape, scratch, gnaw”).

rat (plural rats)

2. (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.

3. (informal) Any of the numerous members of several rodent families (e.g. voles and mice) that resemble true rats in appearance, usually having short limbs, a pointy snout, a long, hairless tail, and a body length greater than about 12 cm, or 5 inches.
5. (informal) A person who is known for betrayal.

   Hypernyms: jerk < person; see also Thesaurus:jerk

   Near-synonyms: betrayer, scoundrel, snake, snake in the grass, quisling, traitor

   rat bastard

   • 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:

     He’s more a man than any pair of rats of you in this here house.

   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?"

6. (informal) An informant or snitch.
7. (informal) A scab: a worker who acts against trade union policies.
8. (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.

9. A wad of shed hair used as part of a hairstyle.
10. A roll of material used to puff out the hair, which is turned over it.
11. (UK, north-west London, slang, vulgar) Vagina, vulva.

    Get your rat out.

    • 2022, Chambers Hester Louise, Champion Michael James, Teasdale Rhian Louise, “Too Late Now”, in Wet Leg, performed by Wet Leg, Domino, →OCLC:

      I don't need no dating app to tell me if I look like crap / To tell me if I'm thin or fat, to tell me should I shave my rat / I don't need no radio, no MTV, no BBC / I just need a bubble bath to set me on a higher path

12. (chiefly informal) Ellipsis of 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.

• (person known for betrayal): traitor (see for more synonyms)
• (informer): stool pigeon

• mouse
• rodent

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!

• (to betray someone to an authority): tell on, to finger or put the finger on, bewray

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

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.

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.”

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”).

• The Middle English Dictionary
• The English dialect dictionary

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

• C-rat

• Tar, TRA, ART, ATR, art, TAR, RTA, rta, Art, tra, tar, 'art, art.

• IPA^(key): (Central, Balearic, Valencia)

• Audio (Valencia):

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• Rhymes: -at

rat m (plural rats)

1. rat

   Synonym: rata

• “rat”, in Diccionari de la llengua catalana (in Catalan), second edition, Institute of Catalan Studies , April 2007
• “rat”, in Gran Diccionari de la Llengua Catalana, Grup Enciclopèdia Catalana, 2025.
• “rat” in Diccionari normatiu valencià, Acadèmia Valenciana de la Llengua.
• “rat” in Diccionari català-valencià-balear, Antoni Maria Alcover and Francesc de Borja Moll, 1962.

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

• IPA^(key): /rat/,
• Homophone: ret (except in some older speakers)

rat n (singular definite rattet, plural indefinite rat)

1. wheel, steering wheel

• rot (Northern Dutch, dialectal)

From Middle Dutch ratte, from Old Dutch *rato, *roto, from Frankish *ratt, *rato, from Proto-Germanic *rattaz (“rat”). Related to Old High German rato.

• IPA^(key): /rɑt/

• Audio:

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• Hyphenation: rat
• Rhymes: -ɑt
• Homophone: rad

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

• 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)

Inherited from Middle French rat (“rat”), from Old French rat (“rat”); ultimately of Germanic origin, from Old High German rato (“rat”) or Frankish *rato (“rat”).

• IPA^(key): /ʁa/

• Audio:

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• Rhymes: -a

rat m (plural rats, feminine rate)

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

• raton
• rate
• rat d'hôtel
• rater

• “rat”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

• art

From Javanese rat (ꦫꦠ꧀),

• from Old Javanese rāt (“world, land”), from Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *daʀat.
• from Sanskrit रथ (ratha, “chariot, wagon, body”). See Yana (Buddhism) in Wikipedia for more information.

• IPA^(key):
• Hyphenation: rat

rat

1. (archaic) world

   Synonyms: alam, dunia, jagat

• “rat” in Kamus Besar Bahasa Indonesia, Jakarta: Agency for Language Development and Cultivation – Ministry of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology of the Republic of Indonesia, 2016.

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

rat (Arabic رات)

1. night

• IPA^(key): /raːt/
• Homophones: ragħad, rgħat (except archaically)

rat

1. third-person feminine singular perfect of ra

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

rat n

1. wheel

   Synonym: wiel

• Dutch: rad
• Limburgish: raad

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

rat

1. fast, quick

• Dutch: rad

• “rat”, in Vroegmiddelnederlands Woordenboek, 2000
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “rat (I)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page I
• Verwijs, E., Verdam, J. (1885–1929) “rat (III)”, in Middelnederlandsch Woordenboek, The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff, →ISBN, page III

rat

1. alternative form of ratte

From Old High German rāt, from Proto-West Germanic *rād, from Proto-Germanic *rēdaz.

• IPA^(key): (before 13^th CE) /ˈraːt/

rāt m (genitive singular rātes, nominative plural ræte)

1. advice, a piece of advice, counsel
2. instruction, teaching, a meeting
3. consideration
4. a resolution
5. (often in a negative sense) an attack, a plan
6. precaution, forethought, benefit, relief
7. supply, stock, reserve, store
8. a council
9. an adviser, a counsellor, a councillor

• German: Rat

From Old High German rad, from Proto-West Germanic *raþ, from Proto-Germanic *raþą, from Proto-Indo-European *Hret- (“to roll”).

• IPA^(key): (before 13^th CE) /ˈrat/

rat n (genitive singular rades, nominative plural reder or rat)

1. a wheel
2. a millwheel
3. a wheel on a siege engine
4. a weapon for execution by torture
5. a circular object

• German: Rad

From Old French rat (“rat”).

rat m (plural rats)

1. (Jersey, Guernsey) rat

• Audio (Languedoc):

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rat m (plural rats)

1. (Rattus rattus) black rat

• garri

• rata

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

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

1. rat (rodent)

• Middle French: rat
  • French: rat
  • Norman: rat

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.

• rād — Rhine Franconian

Frrom Proto-West Germanic *rād, from Proto-Germanic *rēdaz.

• IPA^(key): /raːt/

rāt m

1. advice, counsel, a council, aid

• Middle High German: rāt
  • German: Rat

• Joseph Wright, An Old High German Primer

From Proto-Malayo-Polynesian *daʀat.

rat

1. land

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

• IPA^(key): /ɾat/

rat m (nominative plural rata)

1. blood

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

• ratyi (Anglicized)
• rǎt, rǎtǐ (International Standard)

• IPA^(key): /ɾat/, /ɾʲat/

rat f (nominative plural ratǎ)

1. night

• laćhi rǎt

From Frankish *rato (“rat”).

rat m (plural rats)

1. (Surmiran) rat

• ratung

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”).

• IPA^(key): /rât/

rȁt m inan (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.

• “rat”, in Hrvatski jezični portal (in Serbo-Croatian), 2006–2025

From English rat.

rat

1. rat or mouse

• mukeis (eastern dialect)

Borrowed from English rat.

• IPA^(key):

rat (nominative plural rats)

1. rat (rodent of the family Muridae)

• nim
• sügaf
• süganim
• tuetaf
• tuetanim

• ratil
• ratül

• mug
• yat