Hamster Definition

hămstər

hamsters

noun

Any of several burrowing rodents (family Cricetidae) of Europe and Asia, with large cheek pouches: one species (Mesocricetus auratus) is used in scientific experiments or is often kept as a pet.

Webster's New World

Any of various Old-World rodent species belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae.

It is the cutest sight to see a hamster stuff his puffy cheeks with food; where is it going to store it?

Wiktionary

Other rodents of similar appearance, such as the maned hamster or crested hamster, Lophiomys imhausi, mouse-like hamsters of genus Calomyscus, and the white-tailed rat (Mystromys albicaudatus).

Wiktionary

Other Word Forms of Hamster

Noun

Singular:

hamster

Plural:

hamsters

Origin of Hamster

1607; from German Hamster, from Old High German hamastra, hamustro, from Old East Slavic хомѣсторъ (choměstorŭ), хомѣстаръ (choměstarŭ), compound of (1) хомѣкъ (choměkŭ) ‘hamster’ (compare Russian хомяк (chomják), Polish chomik), from Proto-Balto-Slavic *kāmia (compare Latvian kāmis ‘hamster’, Lithuanian kãmas ‘rat’), and of (2) Baltic *stara (compare Lithuanian stãras ‘ground squirrel’).

From Wiktionary
German from Middle High German hamastra perhaps from Old High German hamustro of Slavic origin

From American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition