# chipmunk

/ˈtʃɪpməŋk/ (US) · /tʃˈɪpmʌŋk/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/chipmunk
Updated: 2026-08-27

## Senses

### 1. the animal

noun · CEFR B2

a small, furry animal with stripes on its back that lives in the ground or in trees.

For teachers: a small, striped rodent of the family Sciuridae, primarily native to North America.

- A chipmunk scurried across the garden path with a nut in its mouth.
- The eastern chipmunk is easily identified by the distinctive stripes running down its back and its habit of storing seeds in large underground burrows.

### 2. to speed up audio

verb · CEFR C1 · Informal · Technical

to make a recording sound much higher and faster, like a cartoon character.

For teachers: to increase the playback speed of an audio recording, resulting in a high-pitched vocal effect.

- The producer decided to chipmunk the vocals in the chorus for a playful effect.
- By chipmunking the lead vocal track, the remixer created a surreal, hyper-pop aesthetic that became a signature of the genre.

### 3. to stuff one's cheeks

verb · CEFR C2 · Informal · Humorous

to fill your mouth or cheeks with as much food as possible.

For teachers: to distend the cheeks by stuffing them with food, mimicking the storage habits of a rodent.

- He started to chipmunk his food because he was in a rush to catch the bus.
- The competitive eater managed to chipmunk the final three crackers just as the buzzer sounded, securing his victory.

## Examples

- A chipmunk ran across the garden path.
- While hiking in the mountains, we saw a chipmunk storing acorns in its cheeks to carry back to its nest.
- The forest floor was a bustling ecosystem where the chipmunk's constant search for seeds provided a vital food source for both predators and the local bird population.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.