marmot

Meaning

Noun

• Any of several large ground-dwelling rodents of the genera Marmota and Cynomys in the squirrel family.

Origin

• From Middle French marmote, from Old French marmotaine, marmontaine, murmontain, from Old Franco-Provençal marmotan, from Vulgar Latin *mures montani, from Latin mus monti, from Classical Latin mus alpini; akin to Engadin Romansch murmont, Old High German muremunto (dialectal German Murmentel, standard Murmeltier).