Groundhog

Pronunciation: /ɡraʊndhɔɡ/

Definitions of groundhog

noun A small North American mammal of the squirrel family, having a heavy body and short legs, and living in burrows, especially the American woodchuck.

Example Sentences

A1 The groundhog saw its shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter.

A2 Groundhogs are also known as woodchucks in some regions.

B1 The groundhog emerged from its burrow on Groundhog Day to predict the weather.

B2 Groundhogs hibernate during the winter months to survive the cold temperatures.

C1 Scientists study groundhog behavior to better understand their role in the ecosystem.

C2 The groundhog's ability to predict the weather has been the subject of folklore for centuries.

Examples of groundhog in a Sentence

formal The groundhog is a rodent of the family Sciuridae, belonging to the group of large ground squirrels known as marmots.

informal I saw a groundhog digging in the backyard this morning.

slang That groundhog is one sneaky critter, always stealing from the garden.

figurative The groundhog saw its shadow and predicted six more weeks of winter.

Grammatical Forms of groundhog

• plural: groundhogs
• comparative: more groundhog
• superlative: most groundhog
• present tense: groundhog
• future tense: will groundhog
• perfect tense: have groundhog
• continuous tense: is groundhoging
• singular: groundhog
• positive degree: groundhog
• infinitive: to groundhog
• gerund: groundhogging
• participle: groundhogged

Origin and Evolution of groundhog

First Known Use: 1784 year

Language of Origin: English

Story behind the word: The word 'groundhog' originated from the combination of 'ground' and 'hog' due to the animal's burrowing habits and resemblance to a hog.

Evolution of the word: The term 'groundhog' was first used in the United States to describe the animal that is also known as a woodchuck. Over time, the word became synonymous with the Groundhog Day tradition of predicting the weather based on the groundhog's behavior.