noun
gopher
GOH-fer/ˈɡəʊfər/
A burrowing rodent with cheek pouches.
A gopher carries bits of roots in its cheek pouches.
Etymology
Probably from Louisiana French gaufre, applied to the animal through its burrows. The derivation is not certain.
In context
… our pet gopher Keith chewed through the cable of our lights and I suffered a fatal electric shock
More examples
- Gophers dig tunnels beneath the garden.
- A gopher pushes loose soil into a mound.
- The gopher eats roots and other plant parts.
Forms
gopher · gophers
Similar words
- pocket gopher
- The fuller name for the same cheek-pouched burrowing rodent.