Noun: kangaroo rat
- Any of various leaping rodents of desert regions of North America and Mexico; largest members of the family Heteromyidae
"The kangaroo rat bounded across the desert on its powerful hind legs";
- desert rat
- Any of several rabbit-sized ratlike Australian kangaroos
"The kangaroo rat hopped through the undergrowth";
- rat kangaroo
Derived forms: kangaroo rats
Type of: kanga [Austral, informal], kangaroo, pocket rat, roo [Austral, informal]
Part of: Dipodomys, genus Dipodomys, Potoroinae, subfamily Potoroinae
Encyclopedia: Kangaroo rat