noun
marmot
MAR-mut/ˈmɑːrmət/
A stout, burrowing rodent related to squirrels.
A marmot pauses beside its burrow and sniffs the air.
Etymology
The Latin image is a “mountain mouse,” naming the large rodent of the Alps and Pyrenees. The name later extended to similar rodents in Asia and North America.
In context
They survive on their bodies' storage of fat and water. (wind whooshing) With thick layers of snow and soil on top, the entrance to their extensive den securely blocked, the Marmot is nature's paragon of bunker mentality.
More examples
- Marmots hibernate through the cold winter months.
- We watched a marmot nibble grass near the trail.
- The marmot whistles loudly when it senses danger.
Forms
marmot · marmots
Similar words
- groundhog
- A particular kind of marmot native to North America.
- ground squirrel
- A broader group of ground-dwelling squirrels that includes marmots.