Musk·rat n.
  1. Zool. A North American aquatic fur-bearing rodent (Ondatra zibethica formerly Fiber zibethicus).  It resembles a rat in color and having a long scaly tail, but the tail is compressed, the hind feet are webbed, and the ears are concealed in the fur.  It has scent glands which secrete a substance having a strong odor of musk.  Called also musquash, musk beaver, ondatra, and sometimes water rat.
  2. Zool. The musk shrew.
  3. Zool. The desman.
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  Ondatra zibethica
       n : beaver-like aquatic rodent of North America with dark glossy
           brown fur [syn: muskrat, musquash]