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Definition of red squirrel

red squirrel

Plural:red squirrels
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• noun

1

British A tree-dwelling rodent native to Eurasia, characterized by a reddish-brown coat, a bushy tail, and distinctive ear tufts.

Example

"Conservation efforts in the Scottish Highlands are focused on protecting the native red squirrel from the invasive grey squirrel."

2

North American A small, highly territorial tree squirrel native to the conifer forests of North America, known for its reddish fur, white belly, and loud, chattering calls.

Example

"The hiker was startled by the aggressive chattering of an American red squirrel defending its cache of pine cones."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for red squirrel

Word Nuance & Usage

The term refers to two distinctly different animals depending on geography: in Europe, it means the Eurasian red squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris), while in North America, it refers to the smaller, highly vocal American red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus).

• Nearby Words

red river hog
red snapper
red spitting cobra
red squirrel
red tail black shark
red tail shark
red terror cichlid

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Red squirrel. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 13, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/red-squirrel
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