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Definition rat

Etymology 1

From Middle English ratte, rat, rotte, from Old English ræt, as though from Proto-Germanic *rattaz, *ratt? (compare West Frisian rôt, Dutch rat), possibly from Proto-Indo-European *reh?d- (“to scrape, scratch, gnaw”); however, the rat was unknown in Northern Europe in antiquity, so if the Proto-Germanic word is real it must have referred to a different animal. Attestation of this family of words begins in the 12th century.

Some of the Germanic cognates show consonant variation, e.g. Middle Low German ratte, radde; Middle High German rate, ratte, ratze. The irregularity may be symptomatic of a late dispersal of the word, in which case it would not be old. Kroonen (2011) rather accounts for it with a Proto-Germanic stem *raþ? nom., *ruttaz gen., showing both ablaut and a Kluge's law alternation, with the variation arising from varying remodellings in the daughters. Kroonen's explanation requires a Proto-Indo-European etymon in final *t, and is hence incompatible with the usual derivation from Proto-Indo-European *reh?d- (“to scrape, scratch, gnaw”).

Noun

rat (plural rats)

  1. (zoology) A medium-sized rodent belonging to the genus Rattus.
  2. (informal) Any of the numerous members of several rodent families (e.g. voles and mice) having bodies longer than about 12 cm, or 5 inches.
  3. (informal) A person who is known for betrayal; a scoundrel; a quisling.
  4. (informal) An informant or snitch.
  5. (informal) A scab: a worker who acts against trade union policies.
  6. (slang) A person who routinely spends time at a particular location.
  7. A wad of shed hair used as part of a hairstyle.
  8. A roll of material used to puff out the hair, which is turned over it.
  9. (Britain, north-west London, slang, vulgar) Vagina.
Verb

rat (third-person singular simple present rats, present participle ratting, simple past and past participle ratted)

  1. (usually with “on” or “out”) To betray a person or party, especially by telling their secret to an authority or an enemy; to turn someone in.
  2. (informal, intransitive) To work as a scab, going against trade union policies.
  3. (of a dog, etc.) To kill rats.

Etymology 2

From Middle English ratten, further etymology unknown. Compare Middle High German ratzen (“to scratch; rasp; tear”). Could be related to write. See also rit.

Noun

rat (plural rats)

  1. (regional) A scratch or a score.
  2. (nautical, regional) A place in the sea with rapid currents and crags where a ship is likely to be torn apart in stormy weather.
Verb

rat (third-person singular simple present rats, present participle ratting, simple past and past participle ratted)

  1. (regional) To scratch or score.
  2. (regional, rare, obsolete) To tear, rip, rend.
  3. damn, drat, blast; used in oaths

Results 253 Words with the letters RAT

2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
5 letter words with the letters RAT 
BRACT 11
CHART 10
CRAFT 11
EXTRA 12
GRAFT 10
JURAT 15
KRAFT 12
KRAUT 10
KURTA 10
PARTY 10
QUART 15
RATCH 10
RETAX 12
TAXER 12
THARM 10
THRAW 10
TRACK 12
TRAMP 11
TRANK 10
TRANQ 15
TRYMA 10
TZARS 14
WARTY 10
WRAPT 11
WRATH 10
4 letter words with the letters RAT 
AIRT 4
ARTS 4
ARTY 6
BRAT 7
CART 7
DART 5
DRAT 5
FART 7
FRAT 7
GRAT 6
HART 6
KART 8
MART 7
PART 7
PRAT 7
RAFT 7
RANT 5
RAPT 7
RATE 4
RATH 6
RATO 4
RATS 4
ROTA 4
STAR 4
TAHR 6
TARE 4
TARN 5
TARO 4
TARP 7
TARS 4
TART 4
TEAR 4
TORA 4
TRAD 5
TRAM 7
TRAP 7
TRAY 6
TSAR 4
TZAR 13
WART 7
3 letter words with the letters RAT 
ART 3
RAT 3
TAR 3
2 letter words with the letters RAT 
AR 2
AT 2
TA 2

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