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

Illustration of prairie dog

Illustration of prairie dog

Examples of prairie dog in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Most of the collisions were birds, including bald eagles, owls larks and mallards, but some of the strikes included prairie dogs, bats, coyotes and rabbits. Aaron Cooper, CNN Money, 16 Apr. 2025 Native to the open prairies of the Great Plains, these elusive, nocturnal predators rely almost entirely on prairie dogs for both food and shelter. Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 15 Apr. 2025 Trackers on the prairie dogs were removed after 10-12 days. Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2025 Even diseases as deadly as the plague don’t kill every prairie dog in a colony. Christine Peterson, Outdoor Life, 25 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for prairie dog

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of prairie dog was in 1774

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prairie dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prairie%20dog. Accessed 18 May. 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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!