Illustration of prairie dog
prairie dog
noun
: any of a genus (Cynomys) of gregarious burrowing rodents of the squirrel family chiefly of central and western U.S. plains
especially
: a black-tailed rodent (C. ludovicianus) that usually lives in extensive colonial burrows
Examples of prairie dog in a Sentence
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Such landscapes were once common in North America — both in the west (where prairie dog colonies provided an abundance of holes) and in Florida (where the owls generally dig their own).
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Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
People can contract plague after being bitten by infected fleas or touching infected animals like rats, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs, rabbits, mountain lions, ferrets, and even dogs and cats.
—Alice Park, Time, 21 Aug. 2025
This landscape contains a diverse set of life ranging from bison and prairie dogs to ducks, catfish and alligators.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Aug. 2025
The bubonic plague is the most common form of the bacterial infection, which spreads naturally among rodents like prairie dogs and rats.
—CBS News, 12 July 2025
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Cecilia Rodriguez, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2025
People can contract plague after being bitten by infected fleas or touching infected animals like rats, mice, squirrels, chipmunks, prairie dogs, rabbits, mountain lions, ferrets, and even dogs and cats.
—Alice Park, Time, 21 Aug. 2025
This landscape contains a diverse set of life ranging from bison and prairie dogs to ducks, catfish and alligators.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 Aug. 2025
The bubonic plague is the most common form of the bacterial infection, which spreads naturally among rodents like prairie dogs and rats.
—CBS News, 12 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for prairie dog
Cite this Entry
“Prairie dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prairie%20dog. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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