gray squirrel

noun

: a common light gray to black squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) that is native to eastern North America and has been introduced into Great Britain and South Africa

Example Sentences

Recent Examples on the Web The gestation period of a gray squirrel is about 40 days. Kelly Mcmasters, The Atlantic, 1 Jan. 2023 The western gray squirrel is threatened in Washington state, and biologists need to know more about them to understand what's happening. Eva Lewandowski, Discover Magazine, 20 Jan. 2017 Tech revealed antibodies across 24 animals spanning six species, including the opossum, the Eastern gray squirrel, and two types of mice. Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 19 Dec. 2022 The animals were once common throughout the United Kingdom, but the invasive gray squirrel has pushed them to the brink of extinction in all but a few strongholds. Jason Thomson, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Oct. 2022 But those efforts ground to a halt during the pandemic, and the gray squirrel population has rebounded. Jason Thomson, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Oct. 2022 Where pine martens are present, the evidence suggests that gray squirrel populations are suppressed and red squirrel numbers rebound. Jason Thomson, The Christian Science Monitor, 6 Oct. 2022 Yet the eastern gray squirrel is the species that's most prevalent. Fox News, 14 Aug. 2022 As our group – Bill Smith and Dave Zeug, both of Shell Lake, and I – hiked over a meandering trail on the public property, the only signs of other animal life were the tracks of a raven, a gray squirrel and a white-tailed deer. Paul A. Smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 25 Dec. 2021 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'gray squirrel.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Word History

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gray squirrel was in 1674

Dictionary Entries Near gray squirrel

Cite this Entry

“Gray squirrel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gray%20squirrel. Accessed 23 Mar. 2023.

Kids Definition

gray squirrel

noun
: a common light gray to black squirrel native to eastern North America and introduced into Europe
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