marmot

[ mahr-muht ]

noun

1. any bushy-tailed, stocky rodent of the genus Marmota, as the woodchuck.
2. any of certain related animals, as the prairie dog

marmot

/ ˈmɑːmət /

noun

1. any burrowing sciurine rodent of the genus Marmota, of Europe, Asia, and North America. They are heavily built, having short legs, a short furry tail, and coarse fur
2. See prairie dog
   prairie marmot
   prairie marmot another name for prairie dog

Word History and Origins

Origin of marmot¹

First recorded in 1600–10; from French marmotte, Old French, apparently noun derivative of marmotter “to mutter, murmur” (referring to the whistling noises made by such animals), equivalent to marm- imitative base denoting a variety of indistinct, continuous sounds + -ot(t)er suffix of expressive verbs (though verb is attested only in modern French ); murmur

Word History and Origins

Origin of marmot¹

C17: from French marmotte, perhaps ultimately from Latin mūr- (stem of mūs ) mouse + montis of the mountain

Example Sentences

Watch for high-altitude wildlife, such as marmots, pika, and bighorn sheep, and enjoy a unique tundra ecosystem of hardy plants and colorful wildflowers.

From Outside Online

Our hearts happy in the afternoon warmth, and our legs wobbly from nearly 4,000 feet of elevation gain, we dodged marmots and took about a thousand pictures.

From Outside Online

Then the children wanted to catch another marmot, so Antler went with them and showed them how the trap worked.

From Project Gutenberg

The shrill whistle of the marmot would often alone break the silence of the scene.

From Project Gutenberg

The verbose Marmot, wordless; the listless Slaughter, dominant.

From Project Gutenberg

"Post-office's shut," Marmot replied curtly, as he stood up.

From Project Gutenberg

As he turned to the door, he faced the men standing round Marmot.

From Project Gutenberg