hamster

What it means

1. Any of various Old World rodent species belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae.

   The hamster stuffed his puffy cheeks with food.

   1 more example

   Since the pregnancy interceptive agents or the menses regulators may also influence the development of either trophoblasts or the maternal cells (epithelial and stromal) at the embryo attachment site, another in vitro assay method using using trophoblast cells of hamster and mouse isolated from a preplacental organelle, the ectoplacental cone, has been developed.

   2013, George deStevens, Ernst Jucker, V. Zingel, Progress in Drug Research, page 166

   1. In particular, a rodent of the species Mesocricetus auratus (the golden hamster) or of a species of the genera Cricetiscus and Phodopus (the dwarf hamsters), often kept as a pet or used in scientific research.

      Synonyms: Syrian hamster

2. Any of various other rodents of similar appearance, such as the maned hamster or crested hamster, Lophiomys imhausi, mouse-like hamsters of genus Calomyscus, and the white-tailed rat (Mystromys albicaudatus).

In a sentence

The hamster stuffed his puffy cheeks with food.

Where it comes from

1. GermanHamster
2. Englishhamster

Borrowed from German Hamster (see for etymology). Displaced earlier term German rat.