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n. 1. Any of various arboreal rodents of the tribe Sciurini and especially of the genus Sciurus, characteristically having a long flexible bushy tail. Also called tree squirrel. 2. Any of various other rodents of the family Sciuridae, such as the ground squirrels and the flying squirrels. 3. The fur of one of these rodents. tr.v. squir·reled, squir·rel·ing, squir·rels or squir·relled or squir·rel·ling To hide or store: squirreled away her money. [Middle English squirel, from Anglo-Norman esquirel, from Vulgar Latin *scūriolus, diminutive of *scūrius, alteration of Latin sciūrus, from Greek skiouros : skiā, shadow + ourā, tail; see ors- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
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