chipmunk
Americannoun
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
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
It was a small shadow at first, maybe a squirrel or a chipmunk, but then it grew larger and larger, quicker than any natural shadow could grow, until it loomed over them.
From "Witchlings" by Claribel A. Ortega
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
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
These cozy, arboreal stays come with peace and quiet among the stirrings of chipmunks, deer and bald eagles.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 20, 2024
I’d hosted many families by then, mice and chipmunks in particular.
From "Wishtree" by Katherine Applegate
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.
