# spermophile

> English word · Noun · IPA /ˈspɜː(ɹ)məfaɪl/

## Definitions
1. A terrestrial burrowing rodent; ground squirrel.

## Etymology
From Spermophilus from σπέρμα (spérma, “seed”) + φιλέω (philéō, “love”), hence, "seed-lover". This genus formerly included most of the terrestrial squirrels, but all of the North American species have been split off into separate genera.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/spermophile