spermophile

Estimated CEFR level: C2 — Proficiency

Estimated from word frequency; not an official CEFR classification.

Definition

  1. noun any of various terrestrial burrowing rodents of Old and New Worlds; often destroy crops

Etymology

From Spermophilus from σπέρμα (spérma, “seed”) + φιλέω (philéō, “love”), hence, "seed-lover". This genus formerly included most of the terrestrial squirrels, but all of the North American species have been split off into separate genera.

In classic literature

Synonyms

ground squirrel, gopher

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