chipmunk

American  

[chip-muhngk] / ˈtʃɪp mʌŋk /

noun

• chipmunks
  plural

1. any of several small, striped, terrestrial squirrels of the genera Tamias, of North America, and Eutamia, of Asia and North America, especially T. striatus, of eastern North America.

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chipmunk British  

/ ˈtʃɪpˌmʌŋk /

noun

1. any burrowing sciurine rodent of the genera Tamias of E North America and Eutamias of W North America and Asia, typically having black-striped yellowish fur and cheek pouches for storing food

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• chipmunks
  plural

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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

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

chipmunk chipmunks

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

Even a cow hugging a chipmunk, which I believe is now illegal in most of the South.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 19, 2025

Scientists have also recorded it in a pet chipmunk in Germany and in healthy captive parrots.

From National Geographic ● Dec. 5, 2023

When Bristle returned from hunting, she dropped a chipmunk in front of him.

From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker

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

This can include chipmunks, moles, voles, mice and squirrels, which are easier to catch than birds since they cannot fly away.

From Salon ● Nov. 26, 2023

She heard none of the usual forest sounds—the chirps of birds and skittering of squirrels and chipmunks.

From "I Survived the Eruption of Mount St. Helens, 1980" by Lauren Tarshis

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