marmot

[ mahr-muht ]

noun

1. any bushy-tailed, stocky rodent of the genus Marmota, as the woodchuck.
2. any of certain related animals, as the prairie dog

marmot

/ ˈmɑːmət /

noun

1. any burrowing sciurine rodent of the genus Marmota, of Europe, Asia, and North America. They are heavily built, having short legs, a short furry tail, and coarse fur
2. prairie marmot
   another name for prairie dog

Word History and Origins

Origin of marmot¹

First recorded in 1600–10; from French marmotte, Old French, apparently noun derivative of marmotter “to mutter, murmur” (referring to the whistling noises made by such animals), equivalent to marm- imitative base denoting a variety of indistinct, continuous sounds + -ot(t)er suffix of expressive verbs (though verb is attested only in modern French ); murmur

Word History and Origins

Origin of marmot¹

C17: from French marmotte, perhaps ultimately from Latin mūr- (stem of mūs ) mouse + montis of the mountain

Example Sentences

We then used this index to gain insights about the survival and longevity of yellow-bellied marmots.

From Salon

The researchers collected incisors from rodents that live in different environments: beavers, coypus, squirrels, marmots, rats, voles and mice.

From Science Daily

In the meantime, the visitor center can point you toward alternative year-round destinations and trails open to ramblers from around the world and a diversity of animals, including Roosevelt elks, Olympic marmots and black bears.

From Seattle Times

The cries of mammalian infants, for example, can be incredibly similar, to the point that white-tailed deer will respond to whimpers whether they're made by marmots, humans or seals.

From Scientific American

“You might think well, species like these: The ptarmigan or the marmots or whatever it is can just go uphill where it’s as cold as they like it,” Bond said.

From Seattle Times