1. a North American rodent with short legs and a bushy tail that hibernates in winter
Usage: also called groundhog

Examples

• The woodchuck emerged from its burrow after winter hibernation.
• We saw a woodchuck eating clover in the meadow.
• The famous groundhog Punxsutawney Phil is actually a woodchuck.
• Woodchucks can cause damage to gardens by eating vegetables.
• The old tongue twister asks how much wood a woodchuck could chuck.
• A woodchuck’s burrow can extend several feet underground.