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This entry may contain outdated or offensive information, terms, and examples.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.
<i>c</i>1902
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.