: any of a genus (Cynomys) of gregarious burrowing rodents of the squirrel family chiefly of central and western U.S. plains
especially: a black-tailed rodent (C. ludovicianus) that usually lives in extensive colonial burrows
Illustration of prairie dog
Examples of prairie dog in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the WebYoung prairie dogs emerge from their den for the first time — see it!—Fox News, 14 May 2024 So were habitat-altering ecosystem engineers like beavers, woodpeckers, bison and prairie dogs.—Lesley Evans Ogden, Smithsonian Magazine, 9 May 2024 Female prairie dogs, for example, are smaller than males at the start of breeding season, but essentially the same size as males by the end of it.—Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 14 Mar. 2024 Ferrets invade prairie dog dens, eat the prairie dogs and move into the burrow.—Hayleigh Evans, The Arizona Republic, 1 Mar. 2024 However, the state does have prairie dogs, which are grassland squirrels found in the Western U.S. and Mexico.—Laura Daniella Sepulveda, The Arizona Republic, 2 Feb. 2024 In the next enclosure, a pair of prairie dogs perch on logs under the glaring artificial light of an overhead lamp.—Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 12 Jan. 2024 True to their name, the owls often occupy burrows excavated by prairie dogs in the western United States and gopher tortoises in Florida, but any appropriate burrow will be claimed by burrowing owls throughout their range.—Sam Cooper., Charlotte Observer, 9 Mar. 2016 Our dogs chased prairie dogs, pheasants, grouse and antelope, and alerted us to rattlesnakes and jack rabbits.—Sean Sherman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 1 Nov. 2023
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prairie dog.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
: a black-tailed buff or grayish rodent of central and western U.S. prairies that is related to the squirrels and usually lives in colonies with many burrows
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