definitions

marmot

[ mahr-muh t ]
/ ˈmɑr mət /
|

noun

any bushy-tailed, stocky rodent of the genus Marmota, as the woodchuck.
any of certain related animals, as the prairie dogs.

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Nearby words

marmite, marmolada, marmorated, marmoreal, marmoset, marmot, marne, maroc, marocain, maroni, maronite

Origin of marmot

1600–10; < French marmotte, Old French, apparently noun derivative of marmotter to mutter, murmur (referring to the whistling noises made by such animals), equivalent to marm- imitative base denoting a variety of indistinct, continuous sounds (cf. murmur) + -ot(t)er suffix of expressive verbs (though v. is attested only in modern F)
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

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British Dictionary definitions for marmot

marmot

/ (ˈmɑːmət) /

noun

any burrowing sciurine rodent of the genus Marmota, of Europe, Asia, and North America. They are heavily built, having short legs, a short furry tail, and coarse fur
prairie marmot another name for prairie dog

Word Origin for marmot

C17: from French marmotte, perhaps ultimately from Latin mūr- (stem of mūs) mouse + montis of the mountain
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