any of several burrowing rodents (family Cricetidae) of Europe and Asia, with large cheek pouches: one species (Mesocricetus auratus) is used in scientific experiments or is often kept as a pet
See hamster in American Heritage Dictionary 4
(hămˈstər)
noun
A small Eurasian rodent of the subfamily Cricetinae, especially Mesocricetus auratus, having large cheek pouches and a short tail and often kept as a pet or used in laboratory research.