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Glite Dictionary
parka squirrel

parka squirrel

9.9
A large ground squirrel from far northern North America with very thick fur
  • noun
  • /ˈpɑrkə ˈskwɪrəl/
  • US
translation icon : ardilla parka
  • The thick fur of the parka squirrel helps it survive in frigid temperatures.

Examples

  • The parka squirrel is well adapted to cold climates.

  • Researchers tracked several parka squirrels to study their hibernation patterns.

  • During the summer, parka squirrels can often be seen foraging above the tree line.

  • I saw a parka squirrel in the snowy forest.

  • The parka squirrel forages for food in the cold tundra during the summer months.

  • In the winter, the thick fur of the parka squirrel helps it survive the frigid temperatures.

  • You can often spot a parka squirrel digging for roots beneath the snow-covered ground.

Synonyms

Citellus parryi
vsparka squirrel
  • Specialized
9.9

A large ground squirrel that lives in Alaska and northern Canada

is the common descriptive name highlighting thick fur
Arctic ground squirrel
vsparka squirrel
  • US
7.4

A large squirrel that lives in burrows in far northern North America and hibernates for many months

has a name that emphasizes its thick fur rather than life cycle habits

Surface Forms

parka squirrel singular
parka squirrels plural

Morphology

parka + squirrel

Knowing 'parka' (a warm, fur-lined coat) and 'squirrel', a B1 learner can plausibly infer 'parka squirrel' as a squirrel with a coat-like or very thick fur adapted to cold, which matches the definition. The relation is metaphorical (coat → thick fur) and somewhat lexicalized as a species label, so the meaning is inferable but not strictly literal or fully predictable.

Etymology

Parka squirrel comes from the animal's very thick fur that looks like a small parka or heavy 'coat', so people named the large northern squirrel after that warm covering. That's why the name means a big ground squirrel that can 'survive' cold weather.