lemming

From Norwegian, from Old Norse lómundr (“lemming”), perhaps from Sami luomek

• (UK) IPA^(key): /lɛm.ɪŋ/
• Rhymes: -ɛmɪŋ

lemming (plural lemmings)

1. A small Arctic and Subarctic rodent from any of six genera of similar rodents.
   • 1876, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Geographical Distribution of Animals, chapter 2, page 18:

     The well-known lemmings, in severe winters, at long intervals, move down from the mountains of Scandinavia in immense numbers, crossing lakes and rivers, eating their way through haystacks, and surmounting every obstacle till they reach the sea, whence very few return.

   • 2014, M.P. Fedunkiw, A Degree of Futility‎^GB, page 61:

     Like a lemming, I followed the crowd, got to the right line and was concentrating hard when queried by the customs officer.

2. (figuratively) Any member of a group given to conformity or groupthink, especially a group poised to follow a leader off a cliff.
   • 2004, Ilse Hobbs; Jan Havenga, A Practical Guide to Strategy, →ISBN, page 127:

     Lemmings are strongly cohesive, but could be, in organisational terms, highly destructive for the business.

• bog lemmings, Synaptomys spp.
• collared lemmings, Dicrostonyx spp.
• steppe lemming, Lagurus lagurus
• true lemmings, Lemmus spp.
• wood lemming, Myopus schisticolor
• yellow steppe lemmings, Eolagurus spp.

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lemming m (plural lemmingen or lemmings, diminutive lemminkje n)

1. lemming (rodent)

• glimmen

• IPA^(key): /lɛ.miŋ/

lemming m (plural lemmings)

1. lemming

• “lemming” in le Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

lemming m (plural lemmings)

1. Alternative form of lémingue

lemming m (plural lemmings)

1. lemming (rodent)