any small leaping rodent of the genus Dipodomys, related to the squirrels and inhabiting desert regions of North America, having a stocky body and very long hind legs and tails: family Heteromyidae
2. Also called: kangaroo mouse
any of several leaping murine rodents of the Australian genus Notomys
kangaroo rat in American English
1. US
any of a genus (Dipodomys, family Heteromyidae) of small, long-legged, jumping, mouselike rodents living in desert regions of the SW U.S. and Mexico