/kruy see"tid, -set"id, kri-/ , n. Zool.
any of a diverse group of scampering, digging, or jumping rodents of the family Cricetidae, including the gerbils, hamsters, field mice, deer mice, voles, lemmings, muskrats, and several wood and field rats.
[ 1955-60; Cricetidae, equiv. to Cricet ( us ) a genus, including the common hamster (ML: hamster, perh. krecek ) + -idae -ID 2 ]