house mouse
nounDefinition of house mouse
: a common nearly cosmopolitan grayish-brown mouse (Mus musculus) that usually lives and breeds about buildings, may act as a vector of diseases, and is an important laboratory animal
Examples of house mouse in a Sentence
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Introduced to the islands by ships during the 19th century, the house mice have been munching up the seed bank of sensitive plants, thus making room for invasive plants to thrive. — Will Houston, The Mercury News, "‘Like dropping a nuclear bomb on this island’: Feds delay Farallon Islands poison airdrop bid," 11 July 2019 There is no question the Eurasian house mice, which are believed to have been introduced to the islands by seal hunters in the 19th century, are a serious problem. — Peter Fimrite, SFChronicle.com, "U.S. wildlife agency pulls plan to poison mice on Farallon Islands — for now," 10 July 2019 The islands also host tens of thousands of house mice — an invasive species that is wreaking havoc on the native ecosystem, according to biologists. — Laura Newberry, latimes.com, "The U.S. wants to dump 1.5 tons of rat poison on the Farallon Islands. Biologists say it’s for the best," 7 July 2019 New York City house mice, the kind probably nibbling away in the pantry, are leaving behind more than an unwelcome mess. — Melanie Grayce West, WSJ, "Mice in New York Carry Rare and Dangerous Diseases, Study Finds," 17 Apr. 2018 The scientists used standard lab species: The Norway rat (Rattus novegicus) and house mouse (Mus musculus), both of which are common cohabitants in our towns and cities. — National Geographic, "These Mice Spy on Their Predators—By Sniffing Their Tears," 29 Mar. 2018 The researchers found that the longer the Natufians stayed in one spot, the better the house mice thrived. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Mice Have Called Human Houses Home for 15,000 Years," 29 Mar. 2017These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'house mouse.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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