The difference between Rat and Rodent

When used as nouns, rat means a medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus rattus, whereas rodent means a mammal of the order rodentia, characterized by long incisors that grow continuously and are worn down by gnawing.

Rat is also verb with the meaning: to betray someone and tell their secret to an authority or an enemy.

Rodent is also adjective with the meaning: gnawing.

check bellow for the other definitions of Rat and Rodent

  1. Rat as a noun (zoology):

    A medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus Rattus.

  2. Rat as a noun (informal):

    A term indiscriminately applied to numerous members of several rodent families (e.g. voles and mice) having bodies longer than about 12 cm, or 5 inches.

  3. Rat as a noun (informal):

    A person who is known for betrayal; a scoundrel; a quisling.

    Examples:

    "What a rat, leaving us stranded here!"

  4. Rat as a noun (informal):

    An informant or snitch.

  5. Rat as a noun (informal):

    A scab: a worker who acts against trade union policies.

  6. Rat as a noun (slang):

    A person who routinely spends time at a particular location.

    Examples:

    "Our teenager has become a mall rat."

    "He loved hockey and was a devoted rink rat."

  7. Rat as a noun (UK, north-west, _, London, slang, vulgar):

    Vagina.

    Examples:

    "Get your rat out."

  8. Rat as a noun:

    A wad of shed hair used as part of a hairstyle.

  1. Rat as a verb (usually with “on” or “out”):

    To betray someone and tell their secret to an authority or an enemy; to turn someone in, bewray.

    Examples:

    "He ratted on his coworker."

    "He is going to rat us out!"

  2. Rat as a verb (of a dog, etc.):

    To kill rats.

  1. Rat as a noun (regional):

    A scratch or a score.

  2. Rat as a noun (nautical, regional):

    A place in the sea with rapid currents and crags where a ship is likely to be torn apart in stormy weather.

  1. Rat as a verb (regional):

    To scratch or score.

    Examples:

    "He ratted a vertical line on his face with a pocket knife."

  2. Rat as a verb (regional, rare, obsolete):

    To tear, rip, rend.

    Examples:

    "'Ratted to shreds."

  1. Rodent as a noun:

    A mammal of the order Rodentia, characterized by long incisors that grow continuously and are worn down by gnawing.

  2. Rodent as a noun (dated, bulletin board system slang, leet, pejorative):

    A person lacking in maturity, social skills, technical competence or intelligence; lamer.

  1. Rodent as an adjective:

    Gnawing; biting; corroding; applied to a destructive variety of cancer or ulcer.

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