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squirrel

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The definition of a squirrel is a tree-dwelling rodent.

(noun)

A small bushy brown rodent that climbs up trees and that eats nuts is an example of a squirrel.

To squirrel is to hide away something for safe keeping.

(verb)

When you hide away money for the future, this is an example of a time when you squirrel away money.

See squirrel in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun pl. squirrels or squirrel

any of a family (Sciuridae) of small rodents living in trees, on the ground, or in burrows and usually having a long, bushy tail, including flying squirrels, chipmunks, and marmots; esp., a tree squirrel
the fur of some of these animals

Origin: ME squirel < OFr escuriuel < VL *scuriolus, dim. of *scurius, for L sciurus < Gr skiouros, squirrel < skia, shadow (see shine) + oura, tail: see uro-

transitive verb squirreled or squirrelled, squirreling or squirrelling

to store, hide, or hoard: usually with away

Origin: from the fact that squirrels store up nuts and seeds for the winter

See squirrel in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

Any of various arboreal rodents of the genus Sciurus and related genera of the family Sciuridae, having a long flexible bushy tail and including the fox squirrel, gray squirrel, and red squirrel. Also called tree squirrel.
Any of various other rodents of the family Sciuridae, as the ground squirrel or the flying squirrel.
The fur of one of these rodents.

transitive verb squir·reled or squir·relled, squir·rel·ing or squir·rel·ling, squir·rels

To hide or store: squirreled away her money.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English squirel

Origin: , from Anglo-Norman esquirel

Origin: , from Vulgar Latin *scūriolus

Origin: , diminutive of *scūrius

Origin: , alteration of Latin sciūrus

Origin: , from Greek skiouros

Origin: : skiā, shadow

Origin: + ourā, tail; see ors- in Indo-European roots

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