squirrel

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

|Updated on: 15 Jul 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

See squirrel defined for English-language learners

See squirrel defined for kids

Recent Examples of squirrel from the Web

Darcy is fully healthy once again now, happily chasing squirrels in her yard, says Burt.

— chris morris, Fortune, "JetBlue Crew Helps Dog in Distress by Deploying Oxygen," 9 July 2018
Affixed to its roof was a collection of about eight small squirrels figurines.

— Detroit Free Press, "Corvettes and horses share the road during Oak Park's July 4 parade," 4 July 2018
The squirrel ultimately hid underneath one of the vehicles.

— elizabeth zwirz, Fox News, "Squirrel caught stealing cop's doughnut in viral video," 27 June 2018
But the squirrel was too fast and bolted the store clutching the candy bag in its jaws.

— sun sentinel staff, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Squirrely thief gets away with the goods (goodies) at Disnye's Magic Kingdom," 13 June 2018
Like the squirrels, the food stashes can also be a valuable inheritance for later family members that come along.

— brian gordon green, National Geographic, "Why a Squirrel Stashed 50 Pounds of Pine Cones in a Car," 9 June 2018
Loaded: 0% Progress: 0% 0:00 / 0:31 Video shows mama bear and 3 cubs attacking a bird feeder Advertisement A video recorded Friday provide proof that squirrels and raccoons aren’t the only culprits targeting western NC bird feeders.

— scott berson, charlotteobserver, "Homeowner killed their mom to defend his bird feeder. Now bear cubs are getting help," 8 June 2018
The virus has been known to infect animals, among them raccoons, squirrels and whitetail deer, that live in coastal regions stretching from Texas to Chesapeake Bay.

— brigit katz, Smithsonian, "Mosquito-Borne Keystone Virus Has Been Found in Humans for the First Time," 26 June 2018
Ms Collett compares it to the muggy period before a thunderstorm, when the squirrels have scarpered and the air is pregnant with foreboding of trouble ahead.

— The Economist, "Europe’s passport-free zone faces a grim future," 21 June 2018

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

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1

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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

And 15% of people admit to squirreling things away in the trunk of their car.

— Southern Living, "Gasp! A Surprising Number of Closet-Starved Americans Are Using Their Ovens for Storage," 21 June 2018
There’s an entire economy around sneaker Instagram: influencers make a living posting shoes, others buy sneakers to create content before squirreling the kicks away.

— cam wolf, GQ, "The Rules of the Gym, According to the Hot Dudes of ‘Insecure’," 15 June 2018
Most of us, having got a whiff of what was going on, were busy squirreling ours away.

— jim mclauchlin, WIRED, "The Secret History of the Racy Module That Almost Ruined D&D," 12 June 2018
Don't forget to squirrel away cash for emergencies.

— darla mercado, USA TODAY, "1-in-3 workers can’t answer this question about their retirement savings," 28 Apr. 2018
Residents squirrel away money, not sure whether to trust the boom.

— bob davis, WSJ, "The Future of America’s Economy Looks a Lot Like Elkhart, Indiana," 6 Apr. 2018
There are ones to keep out on your counter day-in and day-out, and ones to squirrel away in the back of your pantry for when your fanciest friends come for dinner.

— brette warshaw, GQ, "The Best Olive Oils for Any Kitchen," 26 Apr. 2018
For consumers who still have a bag squirreled away in cabinets or freezers, Bob's Red Mill has recalled 22-ounce bags of Amaranth Flour with an expired sell-by date of Nov. 26, 2015.

— debbi snook, cleveland.com, "Bob's Red Mill recalls expired Amaranth flour for possible contamination (photo, product codes)," 9 Apr. 2018
The Sharks, who have squirreled away valuable cap space, may not be in the Tavares sweepstakes.

— ross mckeon, San Francisco Chronicle, "Sharks unlikely to make big trade to fill hole at center," 26 Jan. 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

in the meaning defined above

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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”).