: any of a genus (Cynomys) of gregarious burrowing rodents of the squirrel family chiefly of central and western U.S. plains
especially: a black-tailed rodent (C. ludovicianus) that usually lives in extensive colonial burrows
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Lander Lil, a prairie dog statue, came in third place
Lander Lil is not a weather-predicting groundhog, but a bronze prairie dog statue located at the local post office in Lander, Wyoming.—Katie Wiseman, IndyStar, 2 July 2025 Neither the prairie dogs nor the ferrets have any natural defense against it.—Austin Corona, The Arizona Republic, 23 Sep. 2024 Nearby attractions include a prairie dog town, wetlands, and a 2-mile interpretative trail—one of the few dedicated hiking paths on the preserve.—Adam Roy, Outside Online, 24 Apr. 2025 Most of the collisions were birds, including bald eagles, owls larks and mallards, but some of the strikes included prairie dogs, bats, coyotes and rabbits.—Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for prairie dog
: a black-tailed buff or grayish rodent of central and western U.S. prairies that is related to the squirrels and usually lives in colonies with many burrows
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