lemming
[ lem-ing ]
/ ˈlɛm ɪŋ /
noun
any of various small, mouselike rodents of the genera Lemmus, Myopus, and Dicrostonyx, of far northern regions, as L. lemmus, of Norway, Sweden, etc., noted for periodic mass migrations that sometimes result in mass drownings.
Origin of lemming
1600–10; < Norwegian; cognate with Icelandic
lǣmingi lemming,
lǣmingr loon; akin to Gothic
laian to revile, Icelandic
lā to blame
Words nearby lemming
lemessus,
lemieux,
lemma,
lemmatize,
lemme,
lemming,
lemminkäinen,
lemmoblast,
lemmocyte,
lemnian,
lemniscate
Example sentences from the Web for lemming
British Dictionary definitions for lemming
lemming
/ (ˈlɛmɪŋ) /
noun
any of various volelike rodents of the genus Lemmus and related genera, of northern and arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America: family Cricetidae. The Scandinavian variety, Lemmus lemmus, migrates periodically when its population reaches a peak
a member of any large group following an unthinking course towards mass destruction
Derived forms of lemming
lemming-like, adjectiveWord Origin for lemming
C17: from Norwegian; related to Latin
latrāre to bark