Mouse vs. Gerbil — What's the Difference?

A mouse, plural mice, is a small rodent. Characteristically, mice are known to have a pointed snout, small rounded ears, a body-length scaly tail, and a high breeding rate.

Any of various small, mouselike rodents of the genus Gerbillus and other genera of the subfamily Gerbillinae, having long hind legs and a long tail and inhabiting arid regions of Africa and Asia.

A small rodent that typically has a pointed snout, relatively large ears and eyes, and a long tail.

A Mongolian jird (Meriones unguiculatus) of the subfamily Gerbillinae, commonly domesticated and kept as a pet.

A small handheld device which is moved across a mat or flat surface to move the cursor on a computer screen

A member of one of several species of small, jumping, murine rodents, of the genus Gerbillus and certain other genera in subfamily Gerbillinae, with leaping powers resembling those of the jerboa, native to Africa, India, and Southern Europe.

A lump or bruise on or near the eye

(intransitive) To rotate inside a monowheel or similar apparatus due to sudden acceleration or braking.

(of a cat or owl) hunt for or catch mice

To insert a small animal into one's rectum (a sexual practice in urban myth).

Use a mouse to move or position a cursor on a computer screen

One of several species of small, jumping, murine burrowing rodents, of the genus Gerbillus and related genera of the subfamily Gerbillinae. They have long soft pale fur and hind legs adapted for leaping. In their leaping powers they resemble the jerboa. They inhabit Africa, India, and Southern Europe.

Any of numerous small rodents of the families Muridae and Cricetidae, such as the house mouse, characteristically having a pointed snout, small rounded ears, and a long naked or almost hairless tail.

A rodent (Meriones unguiculatus) of the subfamily Gerbillinae that is commonly kept as a pet; it is also called the tamarisk gerbil, sand rat and jird. Its natural habitats are the dry regions of Northern Africa and Asia.

Any of various similar or related animals, such as the jumping mouse, the vole, or the jerboa.

Small Old World burrowing desert rodent with long soft pale fur and hind legs adapted for leaping

A cowardly or timid person.

(Informal) A discolored swelling under the eye caused by a blow; a black eye.

Pl. mice or mous·es (mousĭz) Computers A handheld, button-activated input device that when rolled along a flat surface directs an indicator to move correspondingly about a computer screen, allowing the operator to move the indicator freely, as to select operations or manipulate text or graphics.

To hunt mice.

To search furtively for something; prowl.

Any small rodent of the genus Mus.

(informal) A member of the many small rodent and marsupial species resembling such a rodent.

A quiet or shy person.

(computing) (plural mice or, rarely, mouses) An input device that is moved over a pad or other flat surface to produce a corresponding movement of a pointer on a graphical display.

(computing) The cursor.

(boxing) A facial hematoma or black eye.

(nautical) A turn or lashing of spun yarn or small stuff, or a metallic clasp or fastening, uniting the point and shank of a hook to prevent its unhooking or straightening out.

(obsolete) A familiar term of endearment.

A match used in firing guns or blasting.

(set theory) A small model of (a fragment of) Zermelo-Fraenkel set theory with desirable properties (depending on the context).

(historical) A small cushion for a woman's hair.

Part of a hind leg of beef, next to the round.

(intransitive) To move cautiously or furtively, in the manner of a mouse (the rodent) (frequently used in the phrasal verb to mouse around).

(intransitive) To hunt or catch mice (the rodents), usually of cats. 12

To close the mouth of a hook by a careful binding of marline or wire.

To navigate by means of a computer mouse.

To tear, as a cat devours a mouse.

Any one of numerous species of small rodents belonging to the genus Mus and various related genera of the family Muridæ. The common house mouse (Mus musculus) is found in nearly all countries. The American white-footed mouse, or deer mouse (Peromyscus leucopus, formerly Hesperomys leucopus) sometimes lives in houses. See Dormouse, Meadow mouse, under Meadow, and Harvest mouse, under Harvest.

A knob made on a rope with spun yarn or parceling to prevent a running eye from slipping.

A familiar term of endearment.

A dark-colored swelling caused by a blow.

A match used in firing guns or blasting.

To watch for and catch mice.

To watch for or pursue anything in a sly manner; to pry about, on the lookout for something.

To tear, as a cat devours a mouse.

Any of numerous small rodents typically resembling diminutive rats having pointed snouts and small ears on elongated bodies with slender usually hairless tails

A hand-operated electronic device that controls the coordinates of a cursor on your computer screen as you move it around on a pad; on the bottom of the mouse is a ball that rolls on the surface of the pad;

To go stealthily or furtively;

Manipulate the mouse of a computer