chipmunk
Americannoun
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:
Her kooky chipmunk moxie lets her get through any script relatively unscathed, including this one.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 19, 2026
I have never owned a dog, but I have had the privilege of loving countless cats and, for seven years, a small chipmunk.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 19, 2026
Scrappy Marie from Glasgow was edged out by Lulu, with her chipmunk smile, sculpted hair and bobby socks.
From BBC ● Sep. 23, 2025
Scientists have also recorded it in a pet chipmunk in Germany and in healthy captive parrots.
From National Geographic ● Dec. 5, 2023
The old man chided the chipmunk lovingly as he set four places at the table, handing it a crust which bulged its cheeks, then ladling four very small portions of stew onto the plates.
From "The Incredible Journey" by Sheila Burnford
Between 2007 and 2015, the trio starred in four movies featuring computer-generated chipmunks and bearing punny titles like “The Squeakquel,” “The Road Chip” and “Chipwrecked.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
Woodland creatures that could carry the disease and should be avoided include chipmunks, wood rats, mice and marmots.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 22, 2025
Vandegrift hopes to trap voles, woodchucks, chipmunks, and porcupines himself.
From Science Magazine ● Apr. 29, 2024
For example, suburban developments that attempt to shove civilization into recently wild areas put humans in close contact with tick hosts like mice and chipmunks.
From Salon ● Apr. 11, 2024
Wishbone like to went crazy sniffing around for mice and chipmunks or whatever else might’ve been in that garage chewing on bags of bird seed or nesting in a busted radiator.
From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor
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.
