hamster
UK[ˈhæmstə]US[ˈhæmstər]
n
A small rodent with a short tail and large cheek pouches for carrying food, often kept as a pet.
Etymology
The English word 'hamster' is a direct borrowing from the early 17th century German term 'Hamster'. The German word itself is derived from Old High German 'hamustro', which is believed to be of Slavic origin, related to the Russian 'khomiak' and the Polish 'chomik'. The ultimate root is thought to be from an ancient Slavic or Baltic verb meaning 'to hoard' or 'to store', a highly fitting origin that directly describes the animal's well-known behavior of filling its cheek pouches with food to carry back to its burrow. This journey from a descriptive Slavic term into German and then into English preserved both the form and the essential characteristic associated with the creature.
Analysis
The word 'hamster' is a simplex loanword. Its spelling and form are borrowed as a whole unit from German.
Examples
The children were delighted by the fluffy golden hamster running on its wheel.
In the wild, a hamster will stockpile seeds and grains in its underground chamber.
She cleaned the hamster's cage and refilled its water bottle.