A squirrel is a small animal with a bushy tail that often lives in trees and eats nuts and seeds. It is known for quickly running and for storing food for later.
From Middle English “squiril,” from Old French “esquirel,” from Latin “sciurus,” from Greek “skiouros” meaning “shadow-tailed.” The Greek name describes its big tail that can shade its body.
The original name basically means “shadow tail,” which perfectly fits an animal whose tail is so big it can cover its back like an umbrella. When we say people “squirrel away” money, we’re borrowing the squirrel’s habit of hiding food for the future.
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