hyena
Americannoun
-
hyenas
plural
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of hyena
1350–1400; Middle English hiena < Medieval Latin hyēna, Latin hyaena < Greek hýaina, equivalent to hy- (stem of hŷs ) hog + -aina feminine suffix; replacing Middle English hyane, hyene < Middle French hiene < Latin
Compare meaning
How does hyena compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Hyenas, the most common carnivores in Africa, are medium-sized animals that resemble dogs but are more closely related to cats. Though they're famous for their creepy laugh, only one species of hyena makes a giggling noise. Spotted hyenas are the largest of the four distinct hyena species, and they're also the one variety that emits a laugh-like sound when they're being submissive to another animal. These tough carnivores have powerful jaws and teeth that allow them to eat nearly anything, including the bones of dead mammals. Hyena derives from a root word that means "pig," but they aren't related to pigs either — they have their own unique mammalian family, Hyaenidae.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
After the vessel transporting his family from India to Canada sinks, Pi escapes to a lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan and a tiger—and his situation gets more complicated with each passing day.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 30, 2026
Rare hyena behaviours have been caught on camera, including a mother-to-be trying to steal food from wild dogs and outsmarting rivals by hiding a stolen carcass underwater to mask its scent.
From BBC ● Nov. 3, 2025
Marin, who would end up voicing a hyena in the 1994 animated film, makes another braying donkey noise.
From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 23, 2025
While female-dominated hyena societies may not strike some as technically "queer," the same cannot be said of the countless male lions who spend most of their time in all-male groups called coalitions.
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2024
Bull was following behind, cackling like a hyena.
From "Flush" by Carl Hiaasen
The carcass of a four-month-old calf, swarming with flies, lay half-devoured by hyenas.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
It follows four rival families of lions, leopards, hyenas and wild dogs as they compete for dominance, with all the shifting alliances, betrayals and power struggles of a prestige drama.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 26, 2026
Other coprolites contained bones chewed up by predators that, like today's hyenas, crushed bones to obtain salts and marrow.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 27, 2024
"Their intricate social structures, largely female-led societies, formidable intelligence and, of course, their adorable bear-like ears all make spotted hyenas a personal favorite for me."
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2024
Most of the problems I had were with animals—elephants, buffalo, hyenas.
From "Facing the Lion" by Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton and Herman Viola
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