LEMMINGS Meaning and
Definition
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Lemmings, in the animal kingdom, refer to a specific group of small mammals belonging to the rodent family Muridae. They are typically found in the Arctic regions, specifically in Northern Europe, North America, and Siberia. Lemmings are renowned for their distinct behavioral patterns, particularly for their mass migration, which has led to the common misconception that they engage in suicidal behavior or blindly follow one another off cliffs.
Physiologically, lemmings possess compact bodies, short tails, and rounded ears. Their fur color can vary depending on the species, but is commonly brown or gray. Additionally, they have short legs, which enables them to navigate through their preferred habitats, including tundra and grasslands. Lemmings are herbivorous, with their diet predominantly consisting of various grasses, mosses, and other vegetation.
Despite their small size, lemmings play a vital role in their ecosystems. They serve as a crucial food source for numerous predators such as birds of prey, foxes, and weasels. Their population dynamics have fascinated scientists for decades, as they exhibit cyclic patterns of population growth and decline. Periodically, lemming populations experience booms, resulting in high population densities. This, in turn, triggers mass migration to seek new food sources and avoid interspecific competition. However, their migration can lead to numerous lemmings drowning in rivers or bodies of water they encounter during their journey.
In summary, lemmings are small rodents inhabiting Arctic regions, known for their cyclic population dynamics and occasional mass migrations. Their significance lies not only in being important prey for numerous predators but also in their contribution to maintaining the delicate balance within their ecosystems.
Top Common Misspellings for LEMMINGS *
* The statistics data for these misspellings percentages are collected from over 15,411,110 spell check sessions on www.spellchecker.net from Jan 2010 - Jun 2012.
Other Common Misspellings for LEMMINGS
Etymology of LEMMINGS
The word "lemmings" derives from the Norwegian word "lemming", pronounced as "leh-ming". It is believed to come from the Old Norse root word "lemr", meaning "to leap". Lemmings are small rodents that inhabit the Arctic regions of Europe, Asia, and North America. They are known for their enigmatic behavior where large populations occasionally undertake mass migrations, during which individuals leap off cliffs or swim across bodies of water in search of new territories. The word "lemmings" became widely known in English due to the phenomenon of the lemming migration and has since been used metaphorically to describe people who follow others blindly without considering the consequences.
Idioms with the word LEMMINGS
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like lemmings
The idiomatic expression "like lemmings" refers to mimicking or blindly following others without questioning or considering the consequences of one's actions. It derives from the stereotype that lemmings, small rodents found in Arctic regions, mindlessly follow each other in large groups, often leading to situations of mass migration or death. Thus, when someone is said to be "like lemmings," it suggests that they are acting in a thoughtless, herd-like mentality.
Similar spelling word for LEMMINGS
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