vole

UK: /ˈvəʊl/ US: /voʊl/ ,(vōl)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

vole¹ /voʊl/   n. [countable]

1. Mammals a short-tailed, stocky animal resembling a mouse.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

vole¹ (vōl), n. 

1. Mammals any of several small mouselike or ratlike rodents of the genus Microtus and related genera, having short limbs and a short tail.

• Norwegian *vollmus, equivalent. to voll field (compare wold¹) + mus mouse
• short for volemouse field mouse, perh. 1795–1805

vole² (vōl),  n. 

1. Games [Cards.] the winning by one player of all the tricks of a deal.
2. go the vole:
   • to venture everything on the chance of great rewards.
   • to try one after another, as a variety of occupations:
     He went the vole and finally settled on watchmaking.

• Latin volāre
• French, derivative of voler to fly
• 1670–80

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

vole / vəʊl/ noun

1. any of numerous small rodents of the genus Microtus and related genera, mostly of Eurasia and North America and having a stocky body, short tail, and inconspicuous ears: family Cricetidae
   See also water vole

Etymology: 19th Century: short for volemouse, from Old Norse vollr field + mus mouse; related to Icelandic vollarmus