any burrowing sciurine rodent of the genus Marmota, of Europe, Asia, and North America. They are heavily built, having short legs, a short furry tail, and coarse fur
2. prairie marmot
Word origin
C17: from French marmotte, perhaps ultimately from Latin mūr- (stem of mūs) mouse + montis of the mountain
marmot in American English
(ˈmɑrmət)
noun
any of a genus (Marmota) of thick-bodied, gnawing, burrowing squirrels with coarse fur and a short, bushy tail, as the woodchuck