gopher

1 of 2

noun (1)

go·​pher ˈgō-fər 

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

: gopher ball

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

The lizards also pose risks to endangered or threatened species, such as sea turtles, wading birds, gopher tortoises, and the American crocodile. —Julia Gomez, USA Today, 20 Mar. 2026

Garden centers sometimes sell dedicated gopher repellent sprays, but fish emulsion, blood meal, castor oil, hot peppers, and predator urine may also help repel gophers. —Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2026

There’s a ton of veteran talent on the board right now, and the youth movement is clearly on in the league. 11:51: Dallas finally pokes their head back up out of their gopher hole and nabs the 19th pick for $50k, and picks the veteran Callie Smith. —Todd Boss, Forbes.com, 27 Feb. 2026

Other weather prediction ceremonies center on different animals, including cats, guinea pigs, gophers and beavers. —Don Sweeney, Idaho Statesman, 2 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing gopher

• gopher ball
• gopher snake
• pocket gopher

Rhymes for gopher

• loafer

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.