squirrel
squir·rel/ˈskwɝ(ə)l/noun, verb
squirrel is spelled S-Q-U-I-R-R-E-L: 8 letters and 2 syllables (squir·rel). It appears 4.9 times per million words in written English, the 11,373rd most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a noun, squirrel means “Any of the rodents of the family Sciuridae” (English Wiktionary, September 2026). The plural of squirrel is squirrels.
How many letters and syllables are in squirrel?
| Letters | 8: S-Q-U-I-R-R-E-L |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 2: squir·rel |
| In writing | 4.9 times per million words; the 11,373rd most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Rhymes with |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media); rhymes and same-letter words are computed by PlainSpell from its own word list.
How common is squirrel?
Squirrel appears 4.9 times per million words in written English, the 11,373rd most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce squirrel?
- UK /ˈskwɪ.ɹ(ə)l/
- US /ˈskwɝ(ə)l/
- /ˈskwɪ.ɾ(ə)l/
Squirrel has 2 syllables, split squir·rel in writing.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: LL-Q1860_(eng)-Pvanp7-squirrel.wav, En-ca-squirrel.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
What rhymes with squirrel?
The 12 most written words on PlainSpell end in the same sounds as squirrel from its last stressed vowel (/ɜɹl/):
Computed by PlainSpell from the pronunciations in the English Wiktionary (dump of September 2, 2026): a rhyme shares every sound from the last stressed vowel to the end; ordered by written frequency (wordfreq 3.1).
Forms of squirrel
- squirrels plural, present, singular, he/she/it
- squirreling US, participle, present
- squirrelling UK, participle, present
- squirreled US, participle, past
- squirrelled UK, participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does squirrel mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
noun
- 1
Any of the rodents of the family Sciuridae.
tree squirrels
- 2
Any of those distinguished typically by a large bushy tail; any of the tree squirrels of subfamily Sciurinae or phenotypically similar sciurids.
- 3
Someone who displays squirrel-like qualities such as stealing or hoarding objects.
- 4
One of the small rollers of a carding machine which work with the large cylinder.
- 5
derogatoryA person, usually a freezoner, who applies L. Ron Hubbard's technology in a heterodox manner.
verb
- 1
To store in a secretive manner, to hide something for future use.
- 2
To become distracted.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Squirrel in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
In the sense rodent:
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | écureuil, écureuille |
| German | Eichhörnchen, Hörnchen, Eichhorn, Eichkatze, Eichkätzchen, Eichkater |
| Portuguese | esquilo |
| Spanish | ardilla |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does squirrel come from?
From Middle English squirel, squyrelle, from Anglo-Norman esquirel and Old French escurel (whence French écureuil), from Vulgar Latin *scūriolus, diminutive of *scūrius, variant of Latin sciūrus, from Ancient Greek σκίουρος (skíouros, “shadow-tail”, from σκιά (skiá, “shadow”) + οὐρά (ourá, “tail”)). Displaced native Middle English acquerne, aquerne, from Old English ācweorna. See dialectical English con and puristic English oakwern.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).