red squirrel

noun

: a common and widely distributed North American squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) that has reddish upper parts and is smaller than the gray squirrel

Examples of red squirrel in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Recovery efforts, like a captive breeding program at the Phoenix Zoo, have helped to bolster the Mount Graham red squirrel’s population, but conservationists fear that the species may be one wildfire away from eradication in the wild. John Leos, AZCentral.com, 3 Sep. 2025 Both conditions are caused by viruses closely associated with squirrels, although squirrel pox is more common among red squirrels typically in the United Kingdom. Jasmine Laws, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Aug. 2025 Squirrel disease spreading outdoors Some suspected the squirrels carried squirrel pox, a rare virus in the US that often kills red squirrels. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2025 Marchetti captured the photograph on April 23, 2022, in a park frequented by a few red squirrels. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 17 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for red squirrel

Word History

First Known Use

1682, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of red squirrel was in 1682

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Red squirrel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20squirrel. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.

Kids Definition

red squirrel

noun
: a common North American squirrel that has reddish upper parts and is smaller than the gray squirrel

More from Merriam-Webster on red squirrel

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!