What does the cryptic crossword clue "Make a mess of French word for rodent (6)" mean?

The definition is "rodent". The wordplay uses a charade (building blocks). MAR (synonym="”Make a mess of”") + MOT (synonym="”French [for] word”") = MARMOT; definition: "rodent" The answer is MARMOT.

Make a mess of French word for rodent (6)

Guardian Cryptic #29337 | 7 Down | 2024-03-22 flower

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