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squirrel

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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English Wikipedia has an article on:
Wikipedia
Wikispecies has information on:
Red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From Middle English squirel, squyrelle, from Anglo-Norman esquirel and Old French escurel (whence French ecureuil), from Vulgar Latin *scuriolus, diminutive of *scurius, variant of Latin sciurus, from Ancient Greek skiouros (skiouros, "shadow-tail", from skia (skia, "shadow") + oura (oura, "tail")).

Displaced native Middle English acquerne, aquerne, from Old English acweorna.

Pronunciation

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Noun

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squirrel (plural squirrels)

  2. Any of the rodents of the family Sciuridae.
    Synonym: sciurid
    Hypernyms: rodent < mammal < animal < critter, creature
    Hyponyms: chipmunk; groundhog, woodchuck; marmot
    tree squirrels; ground squirrels; flying squirrels
    2. (especially, when without a qualifier) Any of those distinguished typically by a large bushy tail; any of the tree squirrels of subfamily Sciurinae or phenotypically similar sciurids.
      Synonym: scug (provincial)
      Hyponym: squirreless (rare)
      Coordinate terms: chipmunk; groundhog, woodchuck; marmot
    • 1865, Henry David Thoreau, Cape Cod, Chapter IX, "The Sea and the Desert", page 187:
      He also said that minks, muskrats, foxes, coons, and wild mice were found there, but no squirrels.
  3. Someone who displays squirrel-like qualities such as stealing or hoarding objects.
  4. One of the small rollers of a carding machine which work with the large cylinder.
  5. (Scientology, often derogatory) A person, usually a freezoner, who applies L. Ron Hubbard's technology in a heterodox manner.

Derived terms

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Translations

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rodent

Verb

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squirrel (third-person singular simple present squirrels, present participle (US) squirreling or (UK) squirrelling, simple past and past participle (US) squirreled or (UK) squirrelled)

  1. (transitive) To store in a secretive manner, to hide something for future use
  2. (intransitive) To become distracted

Derived terms

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Translations

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to store in a secretive manner