(n) any of various leaping rodents of desert regions of North America and Mexico; largest members of the family Heteromyidae, Syn. desert rat, Dipodomys phillipsii
n. a genus of rodents of the family Heteromyidae, comprising the genus of kangaroo rats which live in arid regions of Mexico and the western U. S. An Australian rodent of the genus Notomys is also referred to as a kangaroo rat, as is the potoroo. See kangaroo rat Syn. -- genus Dipodomys. [ WordNet 1.5 +PJC ]