Sciurid
/ˈskaɪjʊrɪd/noun
A member of the squirrel family, Sciuridae.
Did you know?Sciurid comes from New Latin Sciuridae, ultimately from Greek skiouros, meaning “shadow-tailed,” a vivid ancient image for a tail that seems to shade the animal’s body.
Etymological Timeline
Ancient Greek
Greek
skiouros
““shadow-tailed,” a squirrel”
Late Latin
Latin
Sciurus
“a squirrel”
18th Century
Latin
Sciuridae
“the squirrel family”
19th Century
English
sciurid
“a member of the squirrel family”
Modern English
English
sciurid
“a squirrel-family mammal”
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