Flittermouse

Alternative forms

• flitter-mouse, flettermouse, fluttermouse

Origin

From flitter + mouse (compare flickermouse, flindermouse), after Middle Dutch fleddermuys, vledermuys, vlermuys (Modern Dutch vleermuis), from Middle Dutch vledderen, vlederen ("to flutter, float, hover") + muys ("mouse"). Cognate with West Frisian flearmûs ("bat"), Middle Low German vledermūs ("bat"), German Fledermaus ("bat"), Swedish flädermus ("bat"). More at flitter, flutter, flatter, mouse.

Full definition of flittermouse

Noun

1. (zoology, now chiefly dialectal) A bat; a reremouse; flindermouse.
• 1891, Conway Lloyd Morgan, Animal sketches:I thank thee, gentle flittermouse, for these so pleasant memories. Have you ever caught and examined a flittermouse?