dormouse

From Middle English dormous, of uncertain origin. Possibly from dor-, from Old Norse dár (“benumbed”) + mous (“mouse”). More at doze, mouse.

The word is sometimes considered to come from an Anglo-Norman derivative of Old French dormir (“to sleep”), but no such Anglo-Norman word is known to have existed.[1]

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈdɔɹmaʊs/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈdɔːmaʊs/

dormouse (plural dormice)

1. Any of several species of small, mostly European rodents of the family Gliridae; also called Myoxidae or Muscardinidae by some taxonomists.
2. Glis glis, the edible dormouse
3. (Britain) Muscardinus avellanarius, the hazel dormouse.
4. (figuratively) A person who sleeps a great deal, or who falls asleep readily (by analogy with the sound hibernation of the dormouse).