squirrel

noun squir·rel \ ˈskwər(-ə)l , ˈskwə-rəl , chiefly British ˈskwir-əl \

Updated on: 10 Apr 2018

Definition of squirrel

plural squirrels also squirrel

1 : any of various small or medium-sized rodents (family Sciuridae, the squirrel family): such as

a : any of numerous New or Old World arboreal forms having a long bushy tail and strong hind legs

b : ground squirrel

2 : the fur of a squirrel

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See squirrel defined for kids

Recent Examples of squirrel from the Web

Sadly, this is also why many squirrels get hit by cars.

— sarah gibbens, National Geographic, "Squirrels Gone Wild: Their Quirky Behaviors Explained," 10 Oct. 2017
While gray squirrels spend much of their lives in trees — and depend on canopy connectivity — fox squirrels will forage far and wide.

— jonathon keats, Discover Magazine, "L.A.'s Surprising Urban Biodiversity," 10 Nov. 2017
Animal Complaint, East Washington Street: An employee called police after finding a squirrel in the store Oct. 22.

— joan rusek, cleveland.com, "Boy's attempt to impress girls backfired: Chagrin Falls blotter," 30 Oct. 2017
Several more are planned, including squirrel and deer hunting outings.

— paul a. smith, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Smith: Milwaukee school group passes hunter education test with flying colors," 21 Oct. 2017
Lulu was adopted by her handler & now enjoys her days playing w his kids & a new friend, & sniffing out rabbits & squirrels in the backyard.

— kelli bender, PEOPLE.com, "After Ditching the CIA, Lulu the Former Detection Dog Trainee Is Enjoying a Life of R&R," 20 Oct. 2017
Wolves, bats, deer, foxes, hedgehogs and squirrels have been found to carry the deadly disease which kills around 60,000 people across the world each year.

— SI.com, "England Players to Have Vaccinations to Protect Them From Rabies Before World Cup in Russia," 11 Oct. 2017
Eastern gray squirrels of North America will hold a nut in their teeth and pretend to bury it in a variety of places before actually doing so, a tactic to keep other squirrel thieves guessing, according to the National Wildlife Federation.

— National Geographic, "Here are the Best Liars in the Animal Kingdom," 20 May 2017
In addition to deer, Texas has youth-only seasons for turkey, squirrel and waterfowl.

— dana guthrie, Houston Chronicle, "Send us your photos: Houston kids who hunt," 27 Oct. 2017

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

Origin and Etymology of squirrel

Middle English squirel, from Anglo-French escurel, esquirel, from Vulgar Latin *scuriolus, diminutive of scurius, alteration of Latin *sciurus, from Greek skiouros, probably from skia shadow + oura tail — more at shine, ass

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First Known Use: 14th century

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Other Mammals Terms

dormouse, dugong, gibbon, grimalkin, sable, stoat, ungulate, vole

squirrel

verb

Definition of squirrel

squirreled or squirrelled; squirreling or squirrelling

transitive verb

: to store up for future use —often used with away

squirrel away some money

See squirrel defined for English-language learners

Recent Examples of squirrel from the Web

Rather than spend it, Randle squirreled away the money.

— tania ganguli, latimes.com, "Julius Randle: From bully on the court to gentle giant at home," 24 Mar. 2018
Although this simple explanation of the plot feels painfully predictable, director Steven S. DeKnight is able to squirrel away some surprises with hooks buried deep in the previous film.

— darren orf, Popular Mechanics, "Pacific Rim Returns In Excellent B-Movie Fashion," 20 Mar. 2018
And amid the chaos, both U.S. soldiers and Iraqis squirreled away Saddam statues and paintings—some for possible monetary gain, and others as war souvenirs or as historical artifacts.

— Time, "This Iraqi Doctor Says He Has the Rope That Hanged Saddam Hussein. Here’s Why He’s Keeping It," 20 Mar. 2018
Yes, a squirrelly squirrel squirreled its way slopeside during slalom time and surely almost got itself squashed.

— tess koman, Cosmopolitan, "See the Exact, Insane Moment a Squirrel Crashed This Olympian's Race," 26 Feb. 2018
The species that scientists exposed and identified in 2017 had been squirreled away in all kinds of places, from the depths of remote oceans to right under our noses.

— sylvia morrow, Discover Magazine, "Species Exposed!," 1 Feb. 2018
They are squirreled away in the top schools with some of the best coaches, pushed to attempt the hardest jumps and most advanced combinations at the youngest ages, then unleashed on their unprepared rivals in major events.

— dave skretta, chicagotribune.com, "World plays catch-up as Russian women rule figure skating," 23 Feb. 2018
For now, priority has been given to the latter: the government has put a cap on total spending and established a budget rule that squirrels away all revenue from oil above $40 per barrel.

— anna andrianova, Bloomberg.com, "Russia's Escape From Junk Needs More Than Sanctions Reprieve," 19 Feb. 2018
Over time, the rent on her alcove studio rose to a reasonable $1,240 a month, allowing her to squirrel away money for a purchase of her own.

— joyce cohen, New York Times, "Savvy First-Time Buyer Does Her Homework," 15 Feb. 2018

Origin and Etymology of squirrel

from the squirrel's habit of storing up gathered nuts and seeds for winter use

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 1925

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SQUIRREL Defined for English Language Learners

squirrel

noun

Definition of squirrel for English Language Learners

: a small animal with a long tail and soft fur that lives in trees

SQUIRREL Defined for Kids

squirrel

noun squir·rel \ ˈskwər-əl \

Definition of squirrel for Students

: a small gnawing animal that is a rodent usually with a bushy tail and soft fur and strong hind legs used especially for leaping among tree branches

History for squirrel

When a squirrel sits up, its long tail curves up and over its head and sometimes casts a shadow. The English word squirrel comes ultimately from the Greek word for a squirrel, skiouros, which is thought to mean “shadow-tailed” (skia, “shadow,” plus oura, “tail”).