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Definition of woodchuck

woodchuck

/ˈwʊd.tʃʌk/
wood · chuck
Plural:woodchucks
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woodchuck Lexical Profile

woodchuck Game Scores & Validity

• noun

1

North American A large, heavily built North American marmot (Marmota monax) typically found in woodland edges and open fields, known for its extensive burrowing habits; also commonly referred to as a groundhog.

Example

"While hiking through the Appalachian meadows, we spotted a woodchuck hastily retreating into its underground burrow."

Synonyms
View all synonyms for woodchuck

• Nearby Words

woodchip
woodchopper
woodchopping
woodchuck
woodcock
woodcraft
woodcrafter

Word Origin & Etymology

Derived from an Algonquian word (such as the Cree 'wuchak' or Narragansett 'ockqutchaun'), which was reshaped into 'woodchuck' by early English colonists through folk etymology, associating it with 'wood' and 'chuck'.

Usage Trend

Historical frequency of usage in published text.

180019102020
Data source: Google Books Ngram Viewer

Cite this Entry

Wordmom. (2026). Definition of Woodchuck. In Wordmom Dictionary. Retrieved Nov 5, 2026, from https://wordmom.com/dictionary/woodchuck
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