/chip"mungk/ , n.
any of several small, striped, terrestrial squirrels of the genera Tamias, of North America, and Eutamia, of Asia and North America, esp. T. striatus, of eastern North America.
[ 1825-35, Amer.; assimilated var. of earlier chitmunk, appar. acitamo·n red squirrel, equiv, to acit- headfirst, face-down + derivational elements; so called from the squirrel's manner of descending trees ]