woodchuck

American  

[wood-chuhk] / ˈwʊdˌtʃʌk /

noun

1. a stocky North American burrowing rodent, Marmota monax, that hibernates in the winter.

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woodchuck British  

/ ˈwʊdˌtʃʌk /

noun

1. Also called: groundhog.  a North American marmot, Marmota monax, having coarse reddish-brown fur

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Etymology

Origin of woodchuck

First recorded in 1665–75, presumably a reshaping by folk etymology of a word in a Southern New England Algonquian language; compare Narragansett ( English spelling) ockqutchaun “woodchuck”

Compare meaning

How does woodchuck compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• marmot vs. woodchuck

Example Sentences

It’s also known as a woodchuck, a whistle pig — or in the parlance of Pennsylvania Dutch, a language with German roots, a “grundsau.”

From Seattle Times

Today is Groundhog Day in the U.S. — where a woodchuck is tasked with a long-range weather forecast.

From New York Times

These furry rodents, also called woodchucks, are in the squirrel family.

From Washington Post

But the woodchuck proved to be a mistake.

From Literature

My first experience with the garden-erasing capacity of a woodchuck unhinged me when I was just coming to know rural life, as a weekender.

From Seattle Times