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n. 1. Any of various short-tailed, burrowing rodents of the family Geomyidae of North America, having fur-lined external cheek pouches. Also called pocket gopher. 2. Any of various ground squirrels of North American prairies. 3. See gopher tortoise. [Probably short for earlier megopher, gopher tortoise, probably of Muskogean origin; akin to Choctaw kofussa, a hollow, an excavation.] |
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