woodchuck

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. A rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots, Marmota monax.

Pronunciation

/ˈwʊd.t͡ʃʌk/ LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-woodchuck.wav LL-Q1860 (eng)-Flame, not lame-woodchuck.wav

Word forms

woodchuck woodchucks

Etymology

Borrowed from Cree ocêk, otchek (“fisher”), Ojibwe ojiig (“fisher, marten”), or a similar term in a related Algonquian language, subsequently reapplied to the groundhog. An earlier form of this word, woodshock, still sometimes designates the marten. Also a doublet of wejack.

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