desman
[ des-muh n ]
/ ˈdɛs mən /
noun, plural des·mans.
either of two aquatic, insectivorous mammals, Myogale moschata, of southeastern Russia, or M. pyrenaica, of the Pyrenees, related to shrews.
Origin of desman
1765–75; < Swedish, short for
desman-råtta muskrat
Words nearby desman
deskman,
desknote,
deskperson,
desktop,
desktop publishing,
desman,
desmid,
desmitis,
desmo-,
desmocranium,
desmogenous
Example sentences from the Web for desman
Desman, des′man, n. a kind of musk-rat, found in Russia and the Pyrenees.
British Dictionary definitions for desman
desman
/ (ˈdɛsmən) /
noun plural -mans
either of two molelike amphibious mammals Desmana moschata (Russian desman) or Galemys pyrenaicus (Pyrenean desman), having dense fur and webbed feet: family Talpidae, order Insectivora (insectivores)
Word Origin for desman
C18: from Swedish
desmansråtta, from
desman musk (of Germanic origin) +
råtta rat