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:
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
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
When Bristle returned from hunting, she dropped a chipmunk in front of him.
From "Pax" by Sara Pennypacker
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
Vandegrift hopes to trap voles, woodchucks, chipmunks, and porcupines himself.
From Science Magazine ● Apr. 29, 2024
The groundhog is a member of the squirrel family and related to chipmunks and prairie dogs.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 30, 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
I asked some chipmunks, and they were more polite.
From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien
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.
