gopher

1 of 2

noun (1)

go·​pher ˈgō-fər How to pronounce gopher (audio)
1
: a burrowing land tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) of the southern U.S.
broadly : any of several related land tortoises

called also gopher tortoise

2
a
: any of a family (Geomyidae) of burrowing rodents of western North America, Central America, and the southern U.S. that are the size of a large rat and have large cheek pouches opening beside the mouth

called also pocket gopher

b
: any of several small ground squirrels (genus Spermophilus) of the prairie region of North America
3

Illustration of gopher

Illustration of gopher
  • gopher 2a

gopher

2 of 2

noun (2)

go·​pher

less common spelling of gofer

informal
: an employee whose duties include running errands : lackey

Examples of gopher in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
But before construction began in 2023, some 106 gopher tortoises – Georgia's state reptile – were collected and transported about 30 miles to the Fort Stewart Army base. John Riley, USA TODAY, 29 June 2024 The first sign of trouble bubbled up from gopher holes a stone’s throw from Stan Ledgerwood’s front door. Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 6 May 2024 Line the bottoms with hardware cloth (not chicken wire) to exclude hungry gophers. Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024 Kayaks are also available for rent, and the island has resident gopher tortoises to greet you. Caroline Eubanks, Travel + Leisure, 25 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for gopher 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gopher.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gopher was in 1791

Dictionary Entries Near gopher

Cite this Entry

“Gopher.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gopher. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

gopher

noun
go·​pher
ˈgō-fər
1
: a burrowing land tortoise of the southern U.S.
2
a
: any of several burrowing American rodents with large cheek pouches

called also pocket gopher

b
: a small striped ground squirrel of the prairie region of the U.S.

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