woodchuck

noun

wood·​chuck ˈwu̇d-ˌchək How to pronounce woodchuck (audio)
: a grizzled thickset marmot (Marmota monax) chiefly of Alaska, Canada, and the northeastern U.S.

called also groundhog

Examples of woodchuck 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.
Also, be on the lookout for aphids, cutworms, woodchucks, and rabbits, which attack seedlings. Sheryl Geerts, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Oct. 2024 Use 2-inch woven wire to prevent young woodchucks from squeezing through. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2024 This is the gold standard for keeping woodchucks out, says Owen. Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 5 Sep. 2024 Vandegrift hopes to trap voles, woodchucks, chipmunks, and porcupines himself. Jon Cohen, science.org, 29 Apr. 2024 See all Example Sentences for woodchuck 

Word History

Etymology

by folk etymology from a word of Algonquian origin; akin to Narragansett ockqutchaun woodchuck

First Known Use

1674, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of woodchuck was in 1674

Dictionary Entries Near woodchuck

Cite this Entry

“Woodchuck.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woodchuck. Accessed 30 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

woodchuck

noun
wood·​chuck -ˌchək How to pronounce woodchuck (audio)
: a stocky marmot mostly of Alaska, Canada, and the northeastern U.S.

called also groundhog

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