any of several terrestrial rodents of the squirrel family, as of the genus Citellus and chipmunks of the genus Tamias. circ;circ;
Origin
1680-90, Americanism
Examples from the web for ground squirrel
Because rattlesnakes can sense infrared radiation, a hot tail makes the ground squirrel look even bigger.
The two ground squirrel species chew up shed snake skins and lick their fur to acquire the scent of their predators.
Keep your eyes peeled for the resident ground squirrel population.
They gathered all the dried dates but left the ground squirrel its acorns and piñons.
Video stills show a ground squirrel chewing on a rattlesnake's shed skin and then licking its body to apply the masticated mush.
Species found in this habitat include gray-crowned rosy finch, pika and golden mantled ground squirrel.
British Dictionary definitions for ground squirrel
ground squirrel
noun
1.
any burrowing sciurine rodent of the genus Citellus and related genera, resembling chipmunks and occurring in North America, E Europe, and Asia Also called gopher