woodchuck

woodchuck
marmot mar"mot (m[aum]r"m[o^]t; 277), n. [It. marmotta, marmotto, prob. fr. L. mus montanus, or mus montis, lit., mountain mouse or rat. See {Mountain}, and {Mouse}.] 1. (Zo["o]l.) Any rodent of the genus {Marmota} (formerly {Arctomys}) of the subfamily Sciurinae. The common European marmot ({Marmota marmotta}) is about the size of a rabbit, and inhabits the higher regions of the Alps and Pyrenees. The {bobac} is another European species. The common American species ({Marmota monax}) is the {woodchuck} (also called {groundhog}), but the name marmot is usually used only for the western variety. [1913 Webster +PJC]

2. Any one of several species of ground squirrels or gophers of the genus {Spermophilus}; also, the prairie dog. [1913 Webster]

{Marmot squirrel} (Zo["o]l.), a ground squirrel or spermophile.

{Prairie marmot}. See {Prairie dog}. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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Synonyms:
(Arctomys monax)


Look at other dictionaries:

  • Woodchuck — Wood chuck , n. 1. (Zo[ o]l.) A common large North American marmot ({Arctomys monax}). It is usually reddish brown, more or less grizzled with gray. It makes extensive burrows, and is often injurious to growing crops. Called also {ground hog}.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • woodchuck — 1670s, alteration (influenced by WOOD (Cf. wood) (n.)) of Cree (Algonquian) otchek or Ojibwa otchig, marten, the name subsequently transferred to the groundhog …   Etymology dictionary

  • woodchuck — ► NOUN ▪ a North American marmot with a heavy body and short legs. ORIGIN an alteration (by association with WOOD(Cf. ↑wood)) of an American Indian name …   English terms dictionary

  • woodchuck — ☆ woodchuck [wood′chuk΄ ] n. [altered by folk etym. < a S New England Algonquian name: cf. ? Narragansett ockqutchaun] any of several marmots of North America; esp., the common hibernating groundhog (Marmota monax) with coarse, red brown fur …   English World dictionary

  • Woodchuck EP — Infobox Album Name = The Woodchuck EP Type = EP Artist = Released = March 3, 2008 (UK) Recorded = 2007 at Britannia Road Studios, London Genre = Indie rock, pop rock Length = 13:34 Label = Epic Records Producer = Reviews = * RockLouder Rating|4|5 …   Wikipedia

  • woodchuck — /wood chuk /, n. a stocky North American burrowing rodent, Marmota monax, that hibernates in the winter. Also called chuck, groundhog. [1665 75, Amer.; presumably a reshaping by folk etym. of a word in a Southern New England Algonquian language;… …   Universalium

  • woodchuck n — How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? He would chuck, he would, as much as he could, and chuck as much as a woodchuck would if a woodchuck could chuck wood …   English expressions

  • woodchuck — wood·chuck (wo͝od’chŭk′) n. ▸ A large burrowing rodent (Marmota monax) of northern and eastern North America, having a short legged, heavyset body and grizzled brownish fur. Also called groundhog; also called regionally whistle pig. ╂ [By folk… …   Word Histories

  • woodchuck — groundhog ground hog , ground hog ground hog (ground h[o^]g ), n. A reddish brown North American burrowing marmot ({Marmota monax}), also called the {woodchuck}. It hibernates in the winter. Syn: woodchuck, {Marmota monax}. [WordNet 1.5] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • woodchuck — noun A rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots. Scientific name: Marmota monax. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? mdash; popular tongue twister. Syn:… …   Wiktionary

  • woodchuck — UK [ˈwʊdˌtʃʌk] / US noun [countable] Word forms woodchuck : singular woodchuck plural woodchucks a groundhog …   English dictionary

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