chipmunk
[chip-muhngk]
- 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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Origin of chipmunk
1825–35, Americanism; assimilated variant of earlier chitmunk, apparently < Ojibwa 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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Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2018
Examples from the Web for chipmunk
Contemporary Examples
From the religious (‘The Holly and the Ivy’) to the secular (‘The Chipmunk Song’), my top 20.
The British rapper, better known as Chipmunk, posted a melancholy message a few weeks ago to his followers on Twitter.
Historical Examples
And what a regular old salt, though hardly as big as a chipmunk!
Mayflower (Flor de mayo)Vicente Blasco Ibez
I think a chipmunk is the happiest, cheerfulest thing I know.
A Campfire Girl's First Council FireJane L. Stewart
But Mr. Chipmunk didn't envy his big cousins their fine tails; not he!
Mother West Wind's ChildrenThornton W. Burgess
On the ground he is more helpless than a chipmunk, because less agile.
Squirrels and Other Fur-BearersJohn Burroughs
Before the first crocus is out of the ground, you may look for the first chipmunk.
Squirrels and Other Fur-BearersJohn Burroughs
chipmunk
- 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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Word Origin
C19: of Algonquian origin; compare Ojibwa atchitamon squirrel, literally: headfirst, referring to its method of descent from trees
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Word Origin and History for chipmunk
n.
1829 (also chitmunk, 1832), from Algonquian, probably Ojibwa ajidamoo (in the Ottawa dialect ajidamoonh) "red squirrel," literally "head first," or "one who descends trees headlong" (containing ajid- "upside down"), probably influenced by English chip and mink. Other early names for it included ground squirrel and striped squirrel.
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Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper