prairie dog

noun

1. any of several burrowing rodents of the genus Cynomys, of North American prairies, having a barklike cry: some are endangered.

prairie dog

noun

1. any of several gregarious sciurine rodents of the genus Cynomys, such as C. ludovicianus, that live in large complex burrows in the prairies of North America Also calledprairie marmot

Word History and Origins

Origin of prairie dog¹

An Americanism dating back to 1765–75

Example Sentences

As you make your way around the stunning loop, scan the horizon for bison herds, wild horses, and prairie dogs.

From Outside Online

When this happens, hungry fleas, rodents, and other animals take over the leftover food that the prairie dogs left.

From Popular-Science

Just steer clear of any prairie dog areas, such as Sage Creek Campground and Roberts Prairie Dog Town.

From Outside Online

But, under pressure to do something about the ballooning numbers, officials proposed a new plan that capped prairie dog habitat to 10,000 acres, and to 7,500 in drought years.

From Popular-Science

A disease brought to States in the early 1900s—sylvatic plague—has also decimated prairie dog populations, since the rodents have no immunity to the introduced pathogen.

From Popular-Science

For example, southeast south-east; gray grey; prairie dog prairie-dog.

From Project Gutenberg

Here and there, he would show me where a snake, a rat, and a prairie dog had crossed the track.

From Project Gutenberg

The coyote and badger could easily lie flat behind the mound and spring upon the prairie-dog when he comes out of his hole.

From Project Gutenberg

The ground was not adapted to the crop that generally grew in a prairie-dog town.

From Project Gutenberg

But for this nice little family arrangement, the last prairie-dog would long since have been unearthed and eaten.

From Project Gutenberg