squirrel
UK: ˈskwɪrəl | US: ˈskwɜːrəl
n. a small, agile rodent with a bushy tail, typically living in trees and storing nuts for winter
n. (informal) a person who hoards or collects things excessively
vt. (rare) to hide or store something away for future use
The word "squirrel" traces back to Greek skiouros, literally "shadow-tail," describing the animal’s iconic tail behavior. It passed through Latin (sciurus) and Old French (esquirel), where the suffix was adapted to "-rel." English retained the playful, diminutive tone while simplifying the spelling. The logic hinges on the tail’s visual prominence—a "shadow-caster" or "tail-shader."
The squirrel darted up the oak tree, its tail flicking nervously.
She’s a squirrel when it comes to saving coupons, filling drawers with them.
In autumn, squirrels diligently squirrel away acorns for winter.
A red squirrel peeked from behind the pine cone, its eyes bright with curiosity.
He laughed at the squirrel’s frantic digging, unaware it had buried his keys.