squirrel

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English

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A squirrel
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Etymology

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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

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Noun

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squirrel (plural squirrels)

Wikispecies has information on:

Wikispecies

  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. One of the small rollers of a carding machine which work with the large cylinder.
  3. Someone who displays a squirrel-like qualities such as stealing or hoarding objects.
  4. (Scientology, often derogatory) A person, usually a freezoner, who applies L. Ron Hubbard's technology in a heterodox manner.

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Verb

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

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

Derived terms

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