Dormouse
/ˈdɔːr.maʊs/noun
A small nocturnal rodent with a furry tail and a tendency to hibernate.
Did you know?The first element of dormouse comes from a verb meaning “to sleep,” so the name is basically a medieval label for an animal famous for vanishing into long, mysterious winter sleep.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*drem-
“to sleep, doze”
Latin
Latin
dormire
“to sleep”
Old French
Old French
dormeus
“sleepy; sleeping”
Middle English
English
dormouse
“a sleepy mouse; the rodent”
Modern English
English
dormouse
“a small nocturnal rodent known for long hibernation”