gopher

1 of 2

noun (1)

go·​pher ˈgō-fər 

1

: a burrowing land tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) of the southern U.S.

broadly : any of several related land tortoises

called also gopher tortoise

2

a

: any of a family (Geomyidae) of burrowing rodents of western North America, Central America, and the southern U.S. that are the size of a large rat and have large cheek pouches opening beside the mouth

called also pocket gopher

b

: any of several small ground squirrels (genus Spermophilus) of the prairie region of North America

3

: gopher ball

Illustration of gopher

• gopher 2a

gopher

2 of 2

noun (2)

go·​pher

less common spelling of gofer

informal

: an employee whose duties include running errands : lackey

Examples of gopher in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

As the tiny plants emerge, keep a sharp eye out for birds, gophers, snails and slugs who might find the seedlings tasty, Shepherd said. —Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Nov. 2024

But before construction began in 2023, some 106 gopher tortoises – Georgia's state reptile – were collected and transported about 30 miles to the Fort Stewart Army base. —John Riley, USA TODAY, 29 June 2024

The first sign of trouble bubbled up from gopher holes a stone’s throw from Stan Ledgerwood’s front door. —Mark Olalde, ProPublica, 6 May 2024

Line the bottoms with hardware cloth (not chicken wire) to exclude hungry gophers. —Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1791, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing gopher

• gopher ball
• gopher snake
• pocket gopher

Kids Definition

gopher

noun

go·​pher

ˈgō-fər

1

: a burrowing land tortoise of the southern U.S.

2

a

: any of several burrowing American rodents with large cheek pouches

called also pocket gopher

b

: a small striped ground squirrel of the prairie region of the U.S.