gopher Hear it!

gopher1 definition

go·pher (fər)

noun

  1. any of a family (Geomyidae) of burrowing rodents about the size of a large rat, with wide cheek pouches; pocket gopher
  2. any of a number of striped ground squirrels (genus Citellus) found on the prairies of North America
  3. Etymology: earlier magofer, prob. < AmInd

    a burrowing land tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) found in SE U.S.
  4. Informal a person born or living in Minnesota, called the Gopher State

Etymology: < ? Fr gaufre, honeycomb (see goffer): so called from its habit of burrowing

gopher2 definition

go·pher (fər)

noun

Slang gofer

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2009 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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