gopher Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun a zealously energetic person (especially a salesman)
    goffer.
  2. noun a native or resident of Minnesota
    Minnesotan.
  3. noun any of various terrestrial burrowing rodents of Old and New Worlds; often destroy crops
    spermophile; ground squirrel.
  4. noun burrowing rodent of the family Geomyidae having large external cheek pouches; of Central America and southwestern North America
    pouched rat; pocket gopher.
  5. noun burrowing edible land tortoise of southeastern North America
    Gopherus polypemus; gopher tortoise; gopher turtle.

WordNet

Go"pher noun
Etymology
F. gaufre waffle, honeycomb. See Gauffer.
Definitions
(Zoöl.)
  1. One of several North American burrowing rodents of the genera Geomys and Thomomys, of the family Geomyidæ; -- called also pocket gopher and pouched rat. See Pocket gopher, and Tucan. ✍ The name was originally given by French settlers to many burrowing rodents, from their honeycombing the earth.
  2. One of several western American species of the genus Spermophilus, of the family Sciuridæ; as, the gray gopher (Spermophilus Franklini) and the striped gopher (S. tridecemlineatus); -- called also striped prairie squirrel, leopard marmot, and leopard spermophile. See Spermophile.
  3. A large land tortoise (Testudo Carilina) of the Southern United States, which makes extensive burrows.
  4. A large burrowing snake (Spilotes Couperi) of the Southern United States.

Webster 1913