dormouse Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun small furry-tailed squirrel-like Old World rodent that becomes torpid in cold weather

WordNet

Dor"mouse noun
Etymology
Perh. fr. F. dormir to sleep (Prov. E. dorm to doze) + E. mouse; or perh. changed fr. F. dormeuse, fem., a sleeper, though not found in the sense of a dormouse.
Wordforms
plural Dormice
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) A small European rodent of the genus Myoxus, of several species. They live in trees and feed on nuts, acorns, etc.; -- so called because they are usually torpid in winter.

Webster 1913