Is A Squirrel A Rodent?

The squirrel is a part of the rodent family. It is the common name for rodents of the Sciuridae family. In the spoken English language it generally refers to members belonging to the genera Sciurus and Tamiasciurus. These are tree squirrels that have large bushy tails. They are indigenous to Asia, Europe and the Americas. Similar genera are found on the African continent. However, flying squirrels, and ground squirrels like the woodchucks, prairie dogs, and chipmunks are also included in the Sciuridae.

Anomaluridae, an unrelated family, also has 'squirrel' in its common name, but they are generally referred to as "scaly-tailed flying squirrels".
The word 'squirrel' has its origins in the Old French 'esqurial', which has its origins in the Vulgar Latin word 'scuriolus'. The pronunciation for this name varies.