marmot
UK[ˈmɑːmət]US[ˈmɑːrmət]
n
a heavily built, burrowing rodent with a short bushy tail, found in mountainous areas of north america and eurasia.
Etymology
the word 'marmot' entered english in the early 17th century from french 'marmotte'. the french term likely derived from a romansh (a romance language of switzerland) word 'murmont', meaning 'mountain mouse'. this romansh term itself is a compound from latin elements: 'mus' (mouse) and 'montis' (of the mountain). the journey from the literal latin description 'mus montis' to the modern english 'marmot' illustrates a common linguistic process where a specific, descriptive term from a local alpine language was streamlined and adopted as a single, fixed name for the animal across european languages, eventually losing its transparent compound structure in english.
Analysis
this word is a loanword adopted as a single unit. its components within english are not productively separable morphemes.
Examples
the alpine marmot is known for its loud, whistling alarm call.
we watched a family of marmots sunning themselves on the rocks.
marmots hibernate for several months during the harsh winter.