lab rat
Maze-running subject
A lab rat is a rat bred for scientific experiments—white rats are iconic fixtures of research laboratories.
Figuratively, a lab rat is anyone subjected to testing or experimentation: We felt like lab rats trying out the company's new software.
The term also describes someone who spends excessive time in a laboratory: She's a total lab rat, always the last one out of the building.
Small rodent, pet or test subject
- test subjectExperiment participant
- specimenIndividual for examination
- volunteerUnpaid willing participant
- control groupUntreated subjects for comparison
clinical trial · double-blind · placebo · informed consent · experimentation · study · observation · data point
guinea pig
Small rodent, pet or test subject
- test subjectExperiment participant
- specimenIndividual for examination
- volunteerUnpaid willing participant
control group · clinical trial · double-blind · placebo · informed consent · experimentation · study · observation · data point · research ethics
grunt
Low guttural sound
peon · lackey · flunky · drone · cog · guinea pig · errand runner · intern · gopher · workhorse
- laboratorybeaker, test tube, flask, microscope, pipette
- Animal Idiomsblind as a bat, brave as a lion, busy bee, copycat, dark horse
- Rats
- science enthusiastsastronomer, astronomers, stargazer, stargazers, citizen scientists
- working animalsherding, gun dog, guarding, pulling, hunting dog
- Lab organismswhite mouse, E. coli, zebrafish, yeast, fruit fly
lab ratscientist
One who studies nature
researcher · experimenter · lab director · clinical researcher · decision-maker
lab ratpet
Domesticated household companion
companion animal · wild animal · family pet · house pet · street rat
rat, lab, rats, laboratory, labs, laboratories, lab rats