marmot

noun

mar·​mot ˈmär-mət How to pronounce marmot (audio)
: any of a genus (Marmota) of stout-bodied short-legged chiefly herbivorous burrowing rodents of the squirrel family that have coarse fur, a short bushy tail, and very small ears and that hibernate during the winter compare woodchuck

Illustration of marmot

Illustration of marmot

Examples of marmot in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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So, does our index, or the number of adverse events a marmot experienced early on, explain differences in marmot survival? Discover Magazine, 24 Oct. 2024 Naturalist guide Brooke Edwards of Alaska Wildland Adventures was surprised to hear this comment while explaining to her group that food should not be left out in the open in Denali National Park because animals like bear and marmots would make a grab for it. Jen Murphy, Outside Online, 18 Sep. 2024 The research station, based at the site of a deserted mining town, was a magnet for weirdos and plant lovers, naturalists and marmot chasers, flower people and climate watchers. Manvir Singh, The New Yorker, 9 Sep. 2024 Their work revealed that Denisovans could hunt, butcher and process a range of different large and small animals, including woolly rhinos, blue sheep, wild yaks, marmots and birds. Katie Hunt, CNN, 3 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for marmot 

Word History

Etymology

French marmotte

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of marmot was in 1607

Dictionary Entries Near marmot

Cite this Entry

“Marmot.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/marmot. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

marmot

noun
mar·​mot ˈmär-mət How to pronounce marmot (audio)
: any of a genus of burrowing rodents with a stout body, short legs, coarse fur, a short bushy tail, and very small ears compare woodchuck

Medical Definition

marmot

noun
mar·​mot ˈmär-mət How to pronounce marmot (audio)
: any of various stout-bodied short-legged burrowing rodents (genus Marmota) with coarse fur, a short bushy tail, and very small ears that are important reservoirs of sylvatic plague

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