Etymology

From Proto-Germanic *rattaz ‎(“rat”), from Proto-Indo-European *rēd- ‎(“to scrape, gnaw, scratch”). Akin to Old Saxon ratta (Middle Low German ratte), Dutch rat ‎(“rat”), Old High German ratta, rato (whence German Ratte, Ratz), Old Norse rotta (whence Icelandic rotta, Danish rotte, Swedish råtta, Middle Low German rotta ‎(“rat”), Irish radan ‎(“rat”), Latin rodere ‎(“to gnaw”). More at rodent.

The Germanic form rat-, ratt- is common in Germanic languages, and in Romance languages through Vulgar Latin *rattus which was borrowed into the Romance languages from a Germanic source (as evidenced by regular sound correspondences of Proto-Indo-European e, ē → Germanic a, and Proto-Indo-European d to Germanic t. The Italic cognate of the Proto-Indo-European word was Latin rodens, rodent- from rodere). Compare French rat, Spanish rata, Italian ratto.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ræt/