squir·rel [squirrelsquirrelssquirrelledsquirreledsquirrellingsquirreling] noun, verb BrE [ˈskwɪrəl] NAmE [ˈskwɜːrəl] noun a small animal with a long thick tail and red, grey or black fur. Squirrels eat nuts and live in trees. see also ↑ground squirrel
Word Origin: Middle English: shortening of Old French esquireul, from a diminutive of Latin sciurus, from Greek skiouros, from skia ‘shade’ + oura ‘tail’. Current verb senses date from the early 20th cent. Derived: ↑squirrel something away
verb (-ll-, especially US -l-) Verb forms:
Word Origin: Middle English: shortening of Old French esquireul, from a diminutive of Latin sciurus, from Greek skiouros, from skia ‘shade’ + oura ‘tail’. Current verb senses date from the early 20th cent.