lemming — English Dictionary

Noun

1. A small arctic and subarctic rodent of the tribes Lemmini, Dicrostonychini and Lagurini.

   Examples

   More examples (1)

   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.

2. Any member of a group given to conformity or groupthink, especially a group poised to follow a leader off a cliff.

   Usage

   • Figurative

   Examples

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

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

   More examples (1)

   “It’s like the one person did it once and since then everyone has followed like lemmings, they all just copy each other’s behaviour,” said [Paul] Loebenberg.

Noun

1. any of various short-tailed furry-footed rodents of circumpolar distribution

   Broader terms

   rodentgnawer