also squirrelly, 1876, “reminiscent in some way of a squirrel,” from squirrel (n.) + -ly (1). Earlier was squirrelish (1834). From 1895 as “abounding in squirrels.” Related: Squirreliness.
Entries linking to squirrely
squirrel n.
early 14c., from Anglo-French esquirel, Old French escurueil "squirrel; squirrel fur" (Modern French écureuil), from Vulgar Latin *scuriolus, diminutive of *scurius "squirrel," variant of Latin sciurus, from Greek skiouros "a squirrel," literally "shadow-tailed," from skia "shadow" (see Ascians) + oura "tail," from PIE root *ors- "buttocks, backside" (see arse). Perhaps the original notion is "that which makes a shade with its tail," but Beekes writes that this "looks like a folk etymology rather than a serious explanation." The Old English word was acweorna, which survived into Middle English as aquerne.
-ly 1
suffix forming adjectives from nouns and meaning "having qualities of, of the form or nature of" (manly, lordly), "appropriate to, fitting, suited to" (bodily, earthly, daily); irregularly descended from Old English -lic, from Proto-Germanic *-liko- (Old Frisian -lik, Dutch -lijk, Old High German -lih, German -lich, Old Norse -ligr), related to *likom- "appearance, form" (Old English lich "corpse, body;" see lich, which is a cognate; see also like (adj.), with which it is identical).