burrow

1 of 2

noun

bur·​row ˈbər-(ˌ)ō How to pronounce burrow (audio)
ˈbə-(ˌ)rō
: a hole or excavation in the ground made by an animal (such as a rabbit) for shelter and habitation

burrow

2 of 2

verb

burrowed; burrowing; burrows

intransitive verb

1
a
: to make a burrow
A fox had burrowed into the side of the hill.
b
: to progress by or as if by digging
burrowing through a pile of paperwork
2
: to make a motion suggestive of burrowing : snuggle, nestle
burrowed against his back for warmth
3
: to conceal oneself in or as if in a burrow

transitive verb

1
a
: to penetrate by means of a burrow
The tunnel burrows its way under the mountain.
b
: to construct by tunneling
burrowed a dwelling
2
: to make a motion suggestive of burrowing with : nestle
burrows her hand into mine
3
archaic : to hide in or as if in a hole in the ground made by an animal for shelter and habitation : to hide in or as if in a burrow
was burrowed in his cave
burrower noun

Examples of burrow in a Sentence

Noun the chipmunk retreated to its burrow to have its babies Verb The rabbit burrowed into the side of the hill. The frogs burrow under the mud. The mole burrowed its way under the ground.
Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Noun
This is because Oatman’s primary tourist attraction is the multitude of loose, wild burrows that wander its streets, bouncing from tourist to tourist and gorging on feed that is conveniently sold for $5 a bag. Dan Sheehan, Rolling Stone, 4 Nov. 2024 Share [Findings] Humboldt penguins who nest in the open have more pollutant metabolites in their blood than do penguins who nest in guano-rich burrows. Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harper's Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024
Verb
Communal burrowing in the hystricognath rodent, Octodon degus: a benefit of sociality? Emilie Le Beau Lucchesi, Discover Magazine, 24 Oct. 2024 In the opposite corner, the most indifferent woman of the bunch burrowed her hand into her tiny purse before pulling out a translucent pink tube. Alyson Zetta Williams, Los Angeles Times, 21 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for burrow 

Word History

Etymology

Noun and Verb

Middle English borow

First Known Use

Noun

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1596, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 3

Time Traveler
The first known use of burrow was in the 13th century

Dictionary Entries Near burrow

Cite this Entry

“Burrow.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burrow. Accessed 17 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

burrow

1 of 2 noun
bur·​row ˈbər-ō How to pronounce burrow (audio)
ˈbə-rō
: a hole in the ground made by an animal (as a rabbit or fox) for shelter or protection

burrow

2 of 2 verb
1
: to construct by tunneling
2
: to hide oneself in or as if in a burrow
3
: to move or enter by or as if by digging
burrower noun

Medical Definition

burrow

noun
: a passage or gallery formed in or under the skin by the wandering of a parasite (as the mite of scabies or a foreign hookworm)
burrow verb

More from Merriam-Webster on burrow

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