What can a mouse be called? - briefly
The word “mouse” may refer to the small mammalian rodent (such as a house mouse or field mouse) or, in computing, to a hand‑held pointing device.
What can a mouse be called? - in detail
A mouse may be identified by several distinct terms depending on the field of reference.
In zoology the animal is commonly referred to as a house mouse (Mus musculus), field mouse, or wood mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus). Regional vernacular includes “cheeser” in rural British English and “ratón” in Spanish-speaking contexts. Scientific literature also uses “laboratory mouse” for strains bred for research, such as C57BL/6.
In computing the device that controls a cursor is called a pointing device, handheld controller, or simply computer mouse. Variants are labeled optical mouse, laser mouse, wireless mouse, and trackball when the sensor is stationary and the user rolls a ball. In programming environments the term input peripheral may replace the generic name.
Informal speech offers additional nicknames. Among gamers, the hardware is sometimes called a clicker or pointer. In certain online communities the animal is humorously termed a rodent or squeaker when used metaphorically.
Historical literature records older designations such as mousetrap bait for the animal and ball mouse for the early mechanical version that employed a rolling ball for motion detection.
Overall, the nomenclature varies across disciplines, regions, and contexts, encompassing scientific, technical, and colloquial expressions.