| hamster | <zoology> A small European rodent (Cricetus frumentarius). It is remarkable for having a pouch on each side of the jaw, under the skin, and for its migrations. A common name used to describe a subfamily of the muridae. Four of the more common genera are cricetus, cricetulus, mesocricetus, and phodopus. All hamsters are seed and plant feeders, store food, hibernate in winter, and breed throughout the year under laboratory conditions. Origin: G. Hamster. (06 Mar 2000) |
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| hamster test | <investigation> The hamster test is a test of the ability of a man's sperm to penetrate a hamster egg stripped of its outer membrane, the zona pellucida. (09 Oct 1997) |
| hamstring | 1. One of the tendons bounding the popliteal space on either side; the medial hamstring comprises the tendons of the semimembranosus and semitendinosus, gracilis, and sartorius muscles; the lateral hamstring is the tendon of the biceps femoris muscle. Hamstring muscles (a) have origin from the ischial tuberosity, (b) act across (at) both the hip and knee joints (producing extension and flexion, respectively), and (c) are innervated by the tibial portion of the sciatic nerve. The medial hamstring contributes to medial rotation of the leg at the flexed knee joint, while the lateral hamstring contributes to lateral rotation. 2. In domestic animals, the combined tendons of the superficial digital flexor, triceps surae, biceps femoris, and semitendinosus muscles which are referred to as the common calcanean tendon (tendo calcaneus communis); it is attached to the tuber calcis of the hock. (11 Feb 2000) |