| 1. | any of various mouse-sized to rat-sized marsupials of the family Dasyuridae, occurring in Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania: some species are rare or endangered. |
| 2. | the mouselike crested-tailed Dasycercus cristicauda of Australian deserts. |
| marsupial rat | |
noun | |
| any of numerous small sharp-nosed insectivorous marsupials superficially resembling mice or rats [syn: pouched mouse] |