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ground squirrel

American

noun

any of several terrestrial rodents of the squirrel family, as of the genus Citellus and chipmunks of the genus Tamias. circ;circ;

ground squirrel British

noun

Also called: gopher. any burrowing sciurine rodent of the genus Citellus and related genera, resembling chipmunks and occurring in North America, E Europe, and Asia

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of ground squirrel

An Americanism dating back to 1680–90

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.

Groundhogs, a type of large ground squirrel native to North America, are commonplace around the track in Montreal, which is on an artificial island in the Saint Lawrence River.

From BBC • Jun. 16, 2025

Though the California ground squirrel is native to the area, its burrowing can contribute to coastal erosion, especially along the bluffs above Pacific Coast Highway.

From Los Angeles Times • May 13, 2025

Yellow-bellied marmots are a large ground squirrel closely related to groundhogs.

From Salon • Oct. 23, 2024

“There’s a species of ground squirrel in Spokane County that’s endangered probably because of me.”

From Seattle Times • Apr. 17, 2024

When one of them managed to kill a ground squirrel or a rabbit, a guinea hen or a grouse, the boys’ aimless play halted and there was suddenly a lot of work to do.

From "A Long Walk to Water" by Linda Sue Park

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023