The origin of the word squirrel?

The word "squirrel" has its roots in the Old French word "esquirel". This, in turn, came from the Latin word "sciurus", which meant "shadow tail" or "shadow-tailed one".

This name was likely given due to the squirrels' habit of holding their bushy tails high and waving them around as they move, making them appear to have a shadow following them.

The word has evolved through various languages over the centuries, finally arriving at "squirrel" in English.