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prairie dog
noun
: any of a genus (Cynomys) of gregarious burrowing rodents of the squirrel family chiefly of central and western U.S. plains
especially
: a black-tailed rodent (C. ludovicianus) that usually lives in extensive colonial burrows
Examples of prairie dog in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Animals such as prairie dogs, African penguins, Amur leopards, cheetahs, lions, and otters will most likely be visible in the colder weather at the zoo.
—Tiffany Watson, Baltimore Sun, 2 Jan. 2025
The bacterial disease also impacted the ferret's main prey, Gunnison's prairie dogs, which damaged the entire ecosystem for the animals, in part leading to a decline of more than 100 ferrets in Arizona since the early 2000s.
—Rey Covarrubias Jr., The Arizona Republic, 1 Dec. 2024
Why getting rid of it is so difficult Preserving the Big Chino Grasslands
Hidden within the sea of native grass, prairie dogs pop in and out of their burrows catching glimpses of a red tail hawk circling in the distance.
—John Leos, The Arizona Republic, 2 Dec. 2024
Their decline was precipitated by westward expansion, which systematically eliminated prairie dog populations—the ferrets' primary food source.
—Dan Perry, Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1774, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near prairie dog
Cite this Entry
“Prairie dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prairie%20dog. Accessed 15 Jan. 2025.
Kids Definition
prairie dog
noun
: a black-tailed buff or grayish rodent of central and western U.S. prairies that is related to the squirrels and usually lives in colonies with many burrows
More from Merriam-Webster on prairie dog
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about prairie dog
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