squirrel

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English

A squirrel
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Wikipedia

Etymology

From Middle English squirel, squyrelle, from Anglo-Norman esquirel and Old French escurel (whence French écureuil), from Vulgar Latin *scūriolus, diminutive of *scūrius, variant of Latin sciūrus, from Ancient Greek σκίουρος (skíouros) "shadow-tail", from σκιά (skiá, shadow) + οὐρά (ourá, tail).

Displaced native Middle English acquerne, aquerne, from Old English ācweorna.

Pronunciation

  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 376: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "RP" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈskwɪɹl̩/, /ˈskwɪɹəl/
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 376: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "Canada" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈskwɝl/, /ˈskwɝl̩/, /ˈskwɝəl/
  • Lua error in Module:parameters at line 376: Parameter 1 should be a valid language or etymology language code; the value "New England" is not valid. See WT:LOL and WT:LOL/E. IPA(key): /ˈskwɪɹəl/
  • Audio (Canada):(file)
  • Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)l, -ɪɹəl

Noun

Wikispecies has information on:

Wikispecies squirrel (plural squirrels)

  1. Any of the rodents of the family Sciuridae distinguished by their large bushy tail.
    • 1865, Henry David Thoreau, Cape Cod, Chapter IX. "The Sea and the Desert", page 187.
      He also said that minks, muskrats, foxes, coons, and wild mice were found there, but no squirrels.
  2. (Scientology, often derogatory) A person, usually a freezoner, who applies L. Ron Hubbard's technology in a heterodox manner.
  3. One of the small rollers of a carding machine which work with the large cylinder.

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

squirrel (third-person singular simple present squirrels, present participle squirreling or (UK, less common) squirrelling, simple past and past participle squirreled or (UK, less common) squirrelled)

  1. (transitive) To store in a secretive manner, to hide something for future use

Derived terms