The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48:

Bandicoot \Ban"di*coot\, n. [A corruption of the native name.]
   (Zool.)
   (a) A species of very large rat (Mus giganteus), found in
       India and Ceylon. It does much injury to rice fields and
       gardens.
   (b) A ratlike marsupial animal (genus Perameles) of several
       species, found in Australia and Tasmania.
       [1913 Webster]

WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):

bandicoot
    n 1: any of various agile ratlike terrestrial marsupials of
         Australia and adjacent islands; insectivorous and
         herbivorous