DCHP-3

ground squirrel†

DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

Entry from the DCHP-1 (pre-1967)

This entry may contain outdated or offensive information, terms, and examples.

any of several squirrel-like animals living largely on the ground, usually applied to the genus Spermophilus.

See: marmot(def. 1)

Quotations

1743
Ground squrls' are as big as a small house catt, which harbour's in trees and Lives upon pine aple's [cones], another squr'l, the size & colour as in England, here is Numerious.
1853
The chitmunck, or Siriatus, or ground squirrel, is much smaller and more mischievous than any of the former species.
c1902
The gopher, or ground squirrel, is smaller than the wood squirrel, while the badger is larger than a Manx cat.
1963
We watched a huge grizzly root up the sod and tear a mound of solid rock to catch a ground squirrel or a whistler.