Muskrat
/ˈmʌs.kræt/noun
A large semiaquatic rodent with a musky odor and a laterally flattened tail.
Did you know?Muskrat is thought to be a North American formation influenced by an Algonquian word for the animal, but the English name was reshaped by folk association with musk, giving it an accidental perfume-and-pelt vibe.
Etymological Timeline
Early 17th Century
English
musquash
“A North American rodent, especially the muskrat; a loanword from an Algonquian source.”
17th Century
English
muskrat
“A North American aquatic rodent, named by English speakers, likely influenced by the word musk because of the animal’s scent.”
Modern English
English
muskrat
“The common name for Ondatra zibethicus, a semiaquatic rodent of marshes and streams.”
Algonquian
Algonquian
*muskwas / *muskwesh (reconstructed)
“A native source word for the animal, reflected in English musquash and related forms.”
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