English Explanatory Dictionary

flittermouse

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A bat (a flying mammal).

Pronunciation

LL-Q1860 (eng)-Back ache-flittermouse.wav

Word forms

flittermouse flittermice flear-mouse flettermouse flitter-mouse fluttermouse flickermouse

Etymology

From flitter + mouse (compare flickermouse, flindermouse), after Middle Dutch fleddermuys, vledermuys, vlermuys (Modern Dutch vleermuis), from vledderen, vlederen (“to flutter, float, hover”) + muys (“mouse”). Cognate with West Frisian flearmûs (“bat”), Middle Low German vledermūs (“bat”), German Fledermaus (“bat”), Swedish fladdermus (“bat”) and flädermus (“bat”). More at flitter, flutter, flatter, mouse.

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