vole
UK: vəʊl | US: voʊl
n. a small, burrowing rodent resembling a mouse, typically with a stout body and short tail.
The word "vole" originates from the Norwegian vollmus ("field mouse"), where voll means "field" and mus means "mouse." Over time, the term was shortened to "vole" in English, losing its direct connection to the original components. The morpheme vol- is a truncated form of voll, but it no longer carries independent meaning in modern English.
The garden was overrun with voles, damaging the roots of plants.
Voles are often mistaken for mice due to their similar appearance.
Farmers use traps to control vole populations in their fields.
Unlike moles, voles primarily feed on vegetation.
The ecologist studied the impact of voles on grassland ecosystems.