chipmunk
Americannoun
-
chipmunks
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of chipmunk
An Americanism dating back to 1825–35; assimilated variant of earlier chitmunk, apparently from Ojibwe ačitamo·nʔ “red squirrel,” equivalent to ačit- “headfirst, face-down” + derivational elements; so called from the squirrel's manner of descending trees
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.
See Examples For:
Eluding us is the numbat, a rare Australian marsupial which could be the love-child of a chipmunk and an anteater.
From BBC ● Aug. 8, 2026
Originally created in 1958, the Alvin and the Chipmunks franchise follows the three singing chipmunk brothers—mischievous Alvin, intellectual Simon and adorable Theodore—and their human father-turned-manager, Dave.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Her kooky chipmunk moxie lets her get through any script relatively unscathed, including this one.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2026
Scientists have also recorded it in a pet chipmunk in Germany and in healthy captive parrots.
From National Geographic ● Dec. 5, 2023
He would blow out his cheeks and furrow his eyebrows like a super serious chipmunk.
From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri
Each day, I made the three-mile round trip to inspect the warblers, chipmunks and generally mysterious rustlings of the underbrush.
From Salon ● Jul. 28, 2026
Karman and Bagdasarian stepped back in to voice all six chipmunks for the recent computer-animated series “ALVINNN!!! and the Chipmunks,” which had an eight-year run on Nickelodeon from 2015 to 2023.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Woodpeckers carve nesting cavities in the softer dead trees and broken-off snags, then move on each year, leaving behind homes for other nesting creatures, such as nuthatches and chipmunks.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 28, 2025
Vandegrift hopes to trap voles, woodchucks, chipmunks, and porcupines himself.
From Science Magazine ● Apr. 29, 2024
“Hello,” I whispered, as if mice and rats and opossums and chipmunks could start up a conversation.
From "Dead End in Norvelt" by Jack Gantos
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