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Definition of cotton rat

cotton rat

Plural:cotton rats
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• noun

1

North American Any of various New World rodents of the genus Sigmodon, native to the Americas, characterized by a stout body, coarse fur, and a known tendency to inhabit fields and damage agricultural crops.

Example

"Researchers often study the hispid cotton rat because it serves as an important host species for certain strains of hantavirus in the southeastern United States."

• Nearby Words

cottager
cottagey
cotton
cotton rat
cottonmouth
cottonseed
cottontail

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Cotton rat. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/cotton-rat
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