What does gopher mean?
Gopher most often means one of the small, burrowing rodents of the family Geomyidae, especially the species commonly called the pocket gopher. These North American mammals live in extensive underground tunnels and have powerful incisors, external cheek pouches, and poor eyesight. In an informal, especially North American, sense, a gopher can also mean a person who runs errands or carries out small jobs for others. The animal sense is the dominant modern usage in North America, while the word is less common in British English. A gopher’s continuously growing front teeth are worn down by gnawing, making its digging and feeding behavior essential to its survival. The word therefore has a double life: it names a distinctive underground rodent and, more casually, a diligent worker. In the first sense, gopher is concrete and taxonomic; in the second, it can sound familiar, mildly disparaging, or simply descriptive in workplaces and schools.
nounA small burrowing rodent of the family Geomyidae, especially the pocket gopher, native to North America and equipped with powerful incisors and external cheek pouches. Informally, a gopher may also mean a person who runs errands or performs miscellaneous jobs, especially in an office.
- Any of various small, burrowing rodents of the family Geomyidae, especially the pocket gopher, native to North America.
- An informal North American term for a person, especially in an office or school, who runs errands or performs small tasks for others.
"A gopher excavated a winding network of tunnels beneath the meadow."
"The gopher pushed fresh soil above ground as it expanded its underground tunnel."
"As the office gopher, he collected coffee, collected signatures, and delivered messages."
The regular plural is used for both the rodents and people who perform errand-running or miscellaneous tasks.
"Several gophers emerged from their burrows after the rain."
A gopher’s front teeth grow continuously, so gnawing is not merely a habit—it is essential maintenance.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does gopher come from?
The ultimate origin of gopher is uncertain, and several proposed sources have been debated. The word was recorded in English by the early seventeenth century for the burrowing rodent; because its etymology is disputed, no definite source or cognate family can safely be assumed.
How gopher is actually used
The animal sense is especially common in North America and is familiar in British English mainly through wildlife and zoological writing. The workplace sense is informal and can be mildly dismissive when it implies that someone is made to do miscellaneous jobs.
Easily confused with gopher
A gofer is a person who runs errands, whereas a gopher usually denotes a burrowing rodent.