ground squirrel
noun
: any of various burrowing North American and Eurasian rodents (especially genus Spermophilus) of the squirrel family that often live in colonies especially in open areas (such as grasslands)
called also spermophile
Examples of ground squirrel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Gray foxes keep gopher, vole, ground squirrel, rat and mice populations in check.
—
Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2025
The California Department of Public Health routinely monitors rodent populations for plague bacteria, and surveillance activities in El Dorado County between 2021 and 2024 found a total of 41 rodents, such as ground squirrels or chipmunks, with evidence of exposure to the plague bacterium.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Researchers have released about 50 ground squirrels in the past couple of summers.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 21 Aug. 2025
In California, plague mostly affects wild rodents including ground squirrels and chipmunks, according to the California Department of Public Health’s Vector-Borne Disease Section.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
updated August 21, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ground squirrel
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Nollyanne Delacruz, Mercury News, 29 Aug. 2025
The California Department of Public Health routinely monitors rodent populations for plague bacteria, and surveillance activities in El Dorado County between 2021 and 2024 found a total of 41 rodents, such as ground squirrels or chipmunks, with evidence of exposure to the plague bacterium.
—Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025
Researchers have released about 50 ground squirrels in the past couple of summers.
—Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 21 Aug. 2025
In California, plague mostly affects wild rodents including ground squirrels and chipmunks, according to the California Department of Public Health’s Vector-Borne Disease Section.
—Veronica Fernandez-Alvarado
updated August 21, Sacbee.com, 21 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for ground squirrel
Cite this Entry
“Ground squirrel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ground%20squirrel. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share