spermophile

[ spur-muh-fahyl, -fil ]
/ ˈspɜr məˌfaɪl, -fɪl /

noun

any of various burrowing rodents of the squirrel family, especially of the genus Spermophilus (or Citellus), sometimes sufficiently numerous to do much damage to crops, as the ground squirrels and susliks.

Origin of spermophile

1815–25; spermo- + -phile, modeled on New Latin spermophilus

Example sentences from the Web for spermophile

British Dictionary definitions for spermophile

spermophile
/ (ˈspɜːməʊˌfaɪl) /

noun

any of various North American ground squirrels of the genera Citellus, Spermophilopsis, etc, regarded as pests in many regions

Word Origin for spermophile

C19: from sperm ( at) o- + -phile, on the model of New Latin spermophilus a seed-lover