모르모트

Korean

Etymology

Borrowed from Japanese モルモット (morumotto), from Dutch marmot, so-called due to Dutch traders mistakenly identifying guinea pigs as marmots when they first brought them to Japan. Doublet of 마멋 (mameot, “marmot”) and 마르모트 (mareumoteu, “marmot”).

Pronunciation

• (SK Standard/Seoul) IPA^(key): [mo̞ɾɯmo̞tʰɯ]
• Phonetic hangul: [모르모트]

Romanizations
Revised Romanization?	moreumoteu
Revised Romanization (translit.)?	moleumoteu
McCune–Reischauer?	morŭmot'ŭ
Yale Romanization?	molumo.thu

Noun

모르모트 • (moreumoteu)

1. (dated) a guinea pig (tailless rodent)

   Synonym: 기니피그 (ginipigeu)

2. (informal, idiomatic) a guinea pig (an experimental subject)

   Synonym: (slang) 마루타 (maruta)

Usage notes

• Not to be confused with 마멋 (mameot) or 마르모트 (mareumoteu, “marmot”).