ground squirrel
noun
: any of various burrowing North American and Eurasian rodents (especially genus Spermophilus) of the squirrel family that often live in colonies especially in open areas (such as grasslands)
called also spermophile
Examples of ground squirrel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Yucca moth caterpillars, kangaroo rats and ground squirrels eat their seeds.
—
Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024
For weeks at a time, hibernating ground squirrels significantly decrease their metabolic rate and nearly freeze.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 28 Nov. 2024
Burrowing owl numbers are also declining in the Central Valley due to exurban development, conversion of grasslands to agricultural lands, development of large-scale wind and solar energy infrastructure and the eradication of ground squirrels.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2024
The site is habitat for desert tortoises and Mohave ground squirrels, which are both listed as threatened under the state’s Endangered Species Act.
—Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ground squirrel 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 28 Nov. 2024
For weeks at a time, hibernating ground squirrels significantly decrease their metabolic rate and nearly freeze.
—Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 28 Nov. 2024
Burrowing owl numbers are also declining in the Central Valley due to exurban development, conversion of grasslands to agricultural lands, development of large-scale wind and solar energy infrastructure and the eradication of ground squirrels.
—Lisa M. Krieger, The Mercury News, 19 Oct. 2024
The site is habitat for desert tortoises and Mohave ground squirrels, which are both listed as threatened under the state’s Endangered Species Act.
—Melody Petersen, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for ground squirrel
Dictionary Entries Near ground squirrel
Cite this Entry
“Ground squirrel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ground%20squirrel. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share