marmot

noun mar·mot \ ˈmär-mət \

Definition of marmot

: any of a genus (Marmota) of stout-bodied short-legged chiefly herbivorous burrowing rodents of the squirrel family that have coarse fur, a short bushy tail, and very small ears and that hibernate during the winter — compare woodchuck

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Recent Examples of marmot from the Web

Other marmots who hear these calls respond appropriately, looking around and scurrying to their burrows.

— National Geographic, "Whistling Caterpillars And 5 More Surprisingly Musical Species," 26 Apr. 2017
Your life in the woods at Eagle’s Nest Boxcar Cabin might include chance encounters with critters like marmot, elk, moose, and bears.

— natalie b. compton, GQ, "5 Super Normal Cabins in The Woods You Can Rent This Fall," 31 Oct. 2017
The marmot was last seen between American Airlines and one of the airport’s parking garages.

— lori aratani, Washington Post, "Distraught 6-year-old desperately seeking stuffed marmot lost at airport," 30 Aug. 2017
The study follows individually marked yellow-bellied marmots at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory in Gothic, Colo.

— the washington post, The Mercury News, "Groundhog Day: Why I, as a scientist, love it," 1 Feb. 2017
The whining of the wind, the whistle of a marmot and an occasional bleat from sheep somewhere in the distance are the only sounds.

— the washington post, The Denver Post, "Empty-nesters continue the hike 19 years later on a long mountain trail in the Pyrenees," 30 Mar. 2017
In the mountains while hiking, don’t let your dog run around in areas with marmots, squirrels, mountain goats, etc.

— christine clarridge, The Seattle Times, "Readers offer advice, thoughts on coping in mutt-mad Seattle," 12 June 2017
The activities of the marmots, which are to some extent temperature related, drives the risk.

— National Geographic, "Past Disasters Reveal Terrifying Future of Climate Change," 5 Mar. 2017
Musk spells a weasel in the bushes or marmot close by.

— michael engelhard, Alaska Dispatch News, "An ode to Alaska odors," 1 July 2017

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

Illustration of marmot

Origin and Etymology of marmot

French marmotte

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First Known Use: 1607

in the meaning defined above

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MARMOT Defined for English Language Learners

marmot

noun

Definition of marmot for English Language Learners

: a small animal of America and Europe that has short legs and that lives in holes that it digs in the ground

MARMOT Defined for Kids

marmot

noun mar·mot \ ˈmär-mət \

Definition of marmot for Students

: a stocky burrowing animal with short legs and a bushy tail that is related to the squirrels

Medical Dictionary

marmot

noun mar·mot \ ˈmär-mət \

medical Definition of marmot

: any of various stout-bodied short-legged burrowing rodents (genus Marmota) with coarse fur, a short bushy tail, and very small ears that are important reservoirs of sylvatic plague