Norway rat

English

Etymology

The common name was popularised (and perhaps coined) by English naturalist John Berkenhout, in his Outlines of the Natural History of Great Britain (1769). Berkenhout believed the species migrated to England from Norwegian ships in 1728; he is also responsible for the scientific name.

Noun

Norway rat (plural Norway rats)

1. The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus).

Synonyms

• Norwegian rat
• sewer rat