squirrel
Americannoun
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any of numerous arboreal, bushy-tailed rodents of the genus Sciurus, of the family Sciuridae.
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any of various other members of the family Sciuridae, as the chipmunks, flying squirrels, and woodchucks.
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the meat of such an animal.
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the pelt or fur of such an animal.
a coat trimmed with squirrel.
verb (used with object)
noun
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any arboreal sciurine rodent of the genus Sciurus , such as S. vulgaris ( red squirrel ) or S. carolinensis ( grey squirrel ), having a bushy tail and feeding on nuts, seeds, etc
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any other rodent of the family Sciuridae , such as a ground squirrel or a marmot
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the fur of such an animal
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informal a person who hoards things
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Conjugated Forms
Present
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have squirreledperfect
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has squirreledperfect 3rd person singular
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has squirrelledperfect 3rd person singular
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have squirrelledperfect
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am squirrellingprogressive 1st person singular
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is squirrelingprogressive 3rd person singular
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have been squirrellingperfect progressive
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is squirrellingprogressive 3rd person singular
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am squirrelingprogressive 1st person singular
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have been squirrelingperfect progressive
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are squirrelingprogressive
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squirrelingparticiple
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are squirrellingprogressive
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squirrelssingular 3rd person
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has been squirrellingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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has been squirrelingperfect progressive 3rd person singular
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squirrellingparticiple
Past
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had squirrelledperfect
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had squirreledperfect
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were squirrellingprogressive plural
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was squirrellingprogressive singular
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was squirrelingprogressive singular
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were squirrelingprogressive plural
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had been squirrelingperfect progressive
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squirreledparticiple
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squirrelledsimple
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had been squirrellingperfect progressive
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squirreledsimple
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squirrelledparticiple
Future
Etymology
Origin of squirrel
1325–75; Middle English squirel < Anglo-French escuirel ( Old French escuireul ) ≪ Vulgar Latin *scūrellus, *scūriolus, representing Latin sciurus (< Greek skíouros literally, shadow-tailed ( ski ( á ) shadow + -ouros, adj. derivative of ourá tail); apparently so called because the tail was large enough to provide shade for the rest of the animal) with diminutive suffixes -ellus, -olus
Explanation
Squirrels are rodents that live in trees and have big, bushy tails. You've probably seen many squirrels in the park eating acorns and seeds. A well-known characteristic of squirrels is gathering nuts and seeds to store for the winter: you can say they squirrel away that food. You can squirrel things away, too, like squirreling away money in your savings account to use later. If you find a great sale on snow boots in the middle of summer, you might take advantage of the bargain and squirrel those boots away for your trip to northern Canada in January.
Vocabulary lists containing squirrel
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
The most famous is probably the North American grey squirrel, which has nearly wiped out our native red squirrel populations.
From BBC • May 30, 2026
Ross adored animals, frequently bringing a few of his favorite furry friends on camera with him – including Peapod, his “pocket” squirrel.
From Salon • May 2, 2026
Rattlesnakes like to hide in complex rocky outcrops, tall grass and squirrel burrows.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026
His mother, who remarried Oseguera, is Rosalinda González Valencia, who made her bones with the “Cuinis” gang, named after a small, fast-breeding squirrel.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026
The thin squirrel hopped out of the doors just as they shut.
From "The Way to Rio Luna" by Zoraida Cordova
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
