gerbil
pronunciation
How to pronounce gerbil in British English:
UK [ˈdʒɜ:bɪl]
How to pronounce gerbil in American English:
US [ˈdʒɜrbɪl]
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- Noun:
- small Old World burrowing desert rodent with long soft pale fur and hind legs adapted for leaping
Word Origin
- gerbil (n.)
- 1849, gerbile, from French gerbille, from Modern Latin Gerbillus, the genus name, from gerbo, from Arabic yarbu. Earlier English form, jarbuah (1660s), was directly from Arabic.
Example
- 1. Conclusion avian influenza ( h5n1 ) virus is pathogenic to gerbil .
- 2. In early work in a social skills program for hyperactive children dr. fine found that they could be more easily taught how to behave calmly if allowed to handle his pet gerbil .
- 3. When doctors investigated , they found gere 's beloved pet gerbil tibet , shaved , declawed , and dead , lodged in gere 's rectum-the result of " gerbilling , " a sexual practice common among gay men .
- 4. An unprepared caracal wouldn 't last 5 minutes in this desert , but then neither would any of the animals not even our master of deception , the gerbil .
- 5. Gerbil any of various small , mouselike rodents of the genus gerbillus and related genera of arid regions of africa and asia minor , having long hind legs and a long tail .