squirrel

[ skwur-uhl, skwuhr-or, especially British, skwir-uhl ]

noun

, plural squir·rels, (especially collectively) squir·rel.

1. any of numerous arboreal, bushy-tailed rodents of the genus Sciurus, of the family Sciuridae.
2. any of various other members of the family Sciuridae, as the chipmunks, flying squirrels, and woodchucks.
3. the meat of such an animal.
4. the pelt or fur of such an animal:

   a coat trimmed with squirrel.

verb (used with object)

, squir·reled, squir·rel·ing or (especially British) squir·relled, squir·rel·ling.

1. to store or hide (money, valuables, etc.), usually for the future (often followed by away ):

   I've squirreled away a few dollars for an emergency.

squirrel

/ ˈskwɪrəl; ˈskwʌr-; ˈskwɜːrəl /

noun

1. any arboreal sciurine rodent of the genus Sciurus , such as S. vulgaris ( red squirrel ) or S. carolinensis ( grey squirrel ), having a bushy tail and feeding on nuts, seeds, etc sciurine
2. any other rodent of the family Sciuridae , such as a ground squirrel or a marmot
3. the fur of such an animal
4. informal.
   a person who hoards things

verb

1. informal.
   trusually foll byaway to store for future use; hoard

Derived Forms

• ˈsquirrel-ˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• squirrel·ish squirrel·like adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of squirrel¹

1325–75; Middle English squirel < Anglo-French escuirel ( Old French escuireul ) ≪ Vulgar Latin *scūrellus, *scūriolus, representing Latin sciurus (< Greek skíouros literally, shadow-tailed ( ski ( á ) shadow + -ouros, adj. derivative of ourá tail); apparently so called because the tail was large enough to provide shade for the rest of the animal) with diminutive suffixes -ellus, -olus

Word History and Origins

Origin of squirrel¹

C14: from Old French esquireul , from Late Latin sciūrus , from Greek skiouros , from skia shadow + oura tail

Example Sentences

While other gliders like flying squirrels have a patagium that stretches to the hind feet, a colugo’s patagium continues all the way to the tip of the tail.

From Science News

A chance sighting of a fluorescent flying squirrel in the wild had led the researchers to the mammal collection at the Field Museum in Chicago.

From Science News

They also were carrying more bulk relative to their wing area than present-day gliders like flying squirrels, which meant the dinosaurs would need to glide faster to generate enough lift to keep themselves aloft.

From Popular-Science

So join me in making sure you and all your squirrel friends are registered to vote, have a plan to vote, and will vote early.

From Washington Blade

Squirrels have learned to visit people’s bird feeders, so some coyotes “crouch and hide near bird feeders,” waiting to pounce on a tasty squirrel, says Gehrt.

From Science News For Students

Inside the squirrel suit, an intern named Justin can be found.

From The Daily Beast

Williams said the RNC has not decided on a sex or a name for the squirrel other than HRC Squirrel.

From The Daily Beast

This is one time where television really fails to capture the true excitement of a large squirrel predicting the weather.

From The Daily Beast

Then, we see Mr. Rabbit in the woods crushing a squirrel to death with his bare hands.

From The Daily Beast

Instead, Vegard wore a squirrel costume and Bard wore a bear costume.

From The Daily Beast

"My name is Slicko," answered the lively little girl squirrel, as she jumped about.

From Project Gutenberg

Squinty looked up in the tree, and there he saw a lovely little girl squirrel, frisking about on the branches.

From Project Gutenberg

One was a hollow tree literally filled with walnuts, gathered presumably by a thrifty squirrel the previous fall.

From Project Gutenberg

Was it some one who had watched the swift, sure-footed spring of a bushy-tailed squirrel from branch to branch?

From Project Gutenberg

Schwartzmann—who would put an end to his life as casually as he would bring down a squirrel from one of those trees!

From Project Gutenberg