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red squirrel
noun
: a common and widely distributed North American squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) that has reddish upper parts and is smaller than the gray squirrel
Examples of red squirrel in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The native red squirrel population in the UK has been decimated by the encroachment of its American cousin, an invasive species.
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JSTOR Daily, 24 June 2024
Spruce-cone seeds mitigate the early-life trauma and lengthen the lives of Yukon red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris), but peanut butter does not.
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John Ganz, Harper's Magazine, 22 May 2024
Modern red squirrels have a strain of leprosy closely related to a medieval human strain.
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Will Sullivan, Smithsonian Magazine, 7 May 2024
Give yourself a few hours to explore these enchanting grounds, home to more than 2,000 exotic species from across the world and a number of red squirrels.
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Julia O'Driscoll, The Week Uk, theweek, 11 June 2024
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These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'red squirrel.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Word History
First Known Use
1682, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near red squirrel
Cite this Entry
“Red squirrel.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/red%20squirrel. Accessed 19 Aug. 2024.
Kids Definition
red squirrel
noun
: a common North American squirrel that has reddish upper parts and is smaller than the gray squirrel
More from Merriam-Webster on red squirrel
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about red squirrel
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