squirrel

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

|Updated on: 18 Jun 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

Researchers found these coyotes have started to alter their diets from daytime prey, such as squirrels and birds, to nocturnal prey, such as rats and rabbits.

— annie sneed, Scientific American, "Humans Are Driving Other Mammals to Become More Nocturnal," 14 June 2018
In the video, the squirrel can be seen rummaging through the store's candy bin as a an employee tries to chase it away.

— sun sentinel staff, Sun-Sentinel.com, "Squirrely thief gets away with the goods (goodies) at Disnye's Magic Kingdom," 13 June 2018
The ancient sport of using birds to hunt rabbits, squirrels, ducks, even foxes declined with the introduction of guns.

— Washington Post, "Tourists experience the ancient sport of falconry," 11 June 2018
All this is fine for Red Tail, the squirrel that uses our back yard in Park Forest as his personal three-star restaurant.

— jerry shnay, Daily Southtown, "Shnay: June brings colorful birds to my yard," 11 June 2018
Luckily, the squirrel appears to have escaped unscathed.

— michelle r. martinelli, For The Win, "Daredevil squirrel faces real-life Frogger game on IndyCar race track," 1 June 2018
Luckily for the squirrel, 19-year old Rüzgar Alkan walked by and noticed the injured animal.

— david grossman, Popular Mechanics, "Squirrel With Injured Legs Gets Ingenious Prosthetic With Wheels," 9 Apr. 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
Double fly nymph rigs have been very effective (my current favorite is a red fox squirrel nymph (#14) with a ruby midge (#18) suspended below it. Use weight to get your flies down.

— tyler mahoney, kansascity, "Fishing report: Prospects for area waters, plus tips on finding fishing Facebook groups," 30 May 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

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
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

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”).