marmot

noun

mar·​mot ˈmär-mət 

: 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

Illustration of marmot

Examples of marmot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Luckily, Indiana's own weather-predicting marmot, aptly named Hope, knows what the people want and saved the day with a dueling forecast of an early spring. —Joe Mutascio, IndyStar, 3 Feb. 2026

While lynx subsist primarily on snowshoe hare, both species eat marmots, squirrels, pika, birds, and occasionally larger animals that are young or injured. —Krista Kafer, Denver Post, 3 Feb. 2026

Northern California is also home to another groundhog relative, the yellow-bellied marmot, also known as a rock chuck. —Joan Morris, Mercury News, 2 Feb. 2026

Folklore from Germany and France indicated that when marmots and bears came out of their winter dens too early, they were frightened by their shadow and retreated back inside for four to six weeks. —Jordan Green, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 1 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

French marmotte

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

marmot

noun

mar·​mot ˈmär-mət 

: any of a genus of burrowing rodents with a stout body, short legs, coarse fur, a short bushy tail, and very small ears compare woodchuck

Medical Definition

marmot

noun

mar·​mot ˈmär-mət 

: 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