gerbil
nounUK /ˈdʒɜː.bəl/
US /ˈdʒɝː.bəl/
A gerbil is a small furry animal with a long tail that people often keep as a pet.
My little sister feeds her gerbil sunflower seeds every morning.
SYNONYMS
OTHER MEANINGS
2. Any of various small burrowing rodents of the subfamily Gerbillinae, native to dry regions of Africa and Asia.
The researchers studied gerbils in the Sahara to learn how they survive with little water.
3. A laboratory animal commonly used in scientific and medical research.
The lab keeps a colony of gerbils for studies on hearing.
4. Informal: a person regarded as small, timid, or unremarkable.
Don't be such a gerbil—speak up in the meeting.