Meaning
The flying mammal — a bat. In Jamaican Patois an unqualified 'bat' means a moth or a butterfly, so the winged creature of the night has to be specified as a 'rat-bat', a bat that looks like a flying rat. This neat swap, where 'bat' is the insect and 'rat-bat' the animal, is a classic quirk of the language, and the rat-bat, flitting out at dusk to feed, is a familiar creature of the Jamaican evening, wrapped in a little folklore of its own.
Examples
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A rat-bat fly inna di house wen night come.
A bat flew into the house when night came.
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Rat-bat live inna di ole cellar.
Bats live in the old cellar.
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Di rat-bat dem come out a dusk fi eat di fruit.
The bats come out at dusk to eat the fruit.
Origin
Because 'bat' in Patois means a moth or butterfly, the mammal is distinguished as a 'rat-bat' — 'rat' capturing its furry, rodent-like body.
How it’s used
Important distinction: 'bat' = moth/butterfly; 'rat-bat' = the flying mammal. See [[duppy-bat]].