chipmunk

American

[chip-muhngk] / ˈtʃɪp mʌŋk /

noun

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.

chipmunk British

/ ˈtʃɪpˌmʌŋk /

noun

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

"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

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

chipmunks

plural

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:

chipmunk chipmunks

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

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

So she tried to convince me the chipmunk was rabid.

From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan

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

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

They most decidedly do not attack and eat chipmunks.

From "Woodsong" by Gary Paulsen

Random Word

Spin the wheel and learn a new word!

Get a word

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