hyena
Americannoun
noun
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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
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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.
These and other insights into hyena behavior wouldn’t be possible were it not for 35 years of on-the-ground research by Kay Holekamp, founder of the Mara Hyena Project.
From National Geographic • Feb. 8, 2024
Hyena attacks have become increasingly frequent on the outskirts of Nairobi, prompting KWS to release guidelines on how to react when confronted by the animals.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 6, 2024
You can learn more about the Mara Hyena project on the team's blog and help support their next 30 years of research by donating.
From Science Daily • Dec. 5, 2023
The Zoo: San Diego Hyena brothers prepare to share a habitat with lions, and zookeepers are pleased when a zebra shows signs of being pregnant.
From Los Angeles Times • Aug. 21, 2021
Hyena, who was greedy, took the honey and ate it all, while Hare sneaked off behind him and drank and washed in the water.
From "The Girl Who Married a Lion: and Other Tales from Africa" by Alexander Mccall Smith
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
