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Definition of prairie dog

prairie dog

Plural:prairie dogs
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• noun

1

North American A stout-bodied, burrowing rodent of the genus Cynomys, native to the grasslands of North America and known for its bark-like call and complex social colonies called 'towns'.

Example

"The prairie dog stood on its hind legs to scan the horizon for predators before returning to its burrow."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for prairie dog

Word Nuance & Usage

Despite its common name, the prairie dog is not a canine but rather a highly social, burrowing rodent.

• Nearby Words

prague
praia
prairie clover
prairie dog
prairie kingsnake
prairie rattlesnake
prairie smoke

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Prairie dog. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Oct 20, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/prairie%20dog
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