squirrel

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 sciurus, from Ancient Greek σκίουρος (skíouros). Displaced native Middle English aquerne, from Old English ācweorna.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General Australian, UK) IPA^(key): /ˈskwɪɹl̩/, /ˈskwɪɹəl/
• (Canada, US) IPA^(key): /ˈskwɝl/, /ˈskwɝl̩/, /ˈskwɝəl/

• Audio (CA)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ɜː(ɹ)l, -ɪɹəl

Noun

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 pejorative) 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.

Verb

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

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