Inflected forms: pl. des·mans Either of two aquatic, insectivorous, molelike mammals, Desmana moschata of eastern Europe and western Asia or Galemys pyrenaicus of southwest Europe, having dense brownish fur, a long snout, and a flattened scaly tail.
ETYMOLOGY:
Short for Swedish desmanråtta, muskrat : desman, musk (from Middle Low German desem, from Medieval Latin bisamum, of Semitic origin; see bm in Appendix II) + råtta, rat (akin to Old English ræt).
d
s
m
n
m in Appendix II) + råtta, rat (akin to Old English ræt).
