any of several carnivores of the dog family, especially those of the genus Vulpes, smaller than wolves, having a pointed, slightly upturned muzzle, erect ears, and a long, bushy tail.
the fur of this animal.
a cunning or crafty person.
Fox a member of a tribe of North American Algonquian Indians, formerly in Wisconsin, later merged with the Sauk tribe.
Fox the Algonquian language of the Fox, Sauk, and Kickapoo Indians.
Bible. a scavenger, perhaps the jackal.
a word formerly used in communications to represent the letter F: replaced by Foxtrot.
Slang. an attractive young woman or young man.
to deceive or trick.
to repair or make (a shoe) with leather or other material applied so as to cover or form part of the upper front.
Obsolete. to intoxicate or befuddle.
to act cunningly or craftily.
(of book leaves, prints, etc.) to become foxed.
Charles James, 1749–1806, British orator and statesman.
George, 1624–91, English religious leader and writer: founder of the Society of Friends.
John. John Foxe.
John William, Jr., 1863–1919, U.S. novelist.
Margaret, 1833–93, and her sister Katherine (“Kate” ), 1839–92, U.S. spiritualist mediums, born in Canada.
Sir William, 1812–93, New Zealand statesman, born in England: prime minister 1856, 1861–62, 1869–72, 1873.
any canine mammal of the genus Vulpes and related genera. They are mostly predators that do not hunt in packs and typically have large pointed ears, a pointed muzzle, and a bushy tail
the fur of any of these animals, usually reddish-brown or grey in colour
a person who is cunning and sly
slang a sexually attractive woman
Bible
a jackal
an image of a false prophet
nautical small stuff made from yarns twisted together and then tarred
(tr) to perplex or confound
to fox a person with a problem
to cause (paper, wood, etc) to become discoloured with spots, or (of paper, etc) to become discoloured, as through mildew
(tr) to trick; deceive
(intr) to act deceitfully or craftily
informal (tr) to pursue stealthily; tail
informal (tr) to chase and retrieve (a ball)
obsolete (tr) to befuddle with alcoholic drink
Charles James . 1749–1806, British Whig statesman and orator. He opposed North over taxation of the American colonies and Pitt over British intervention against the French Revolution. He advocated parliamentary reform and the abolition of the slave trade
George . 1624–91, English religious leader; founder (1647) of the Society of Friends (Quakers)
Terry , full name Terrance Stanley Fox (1958–81). Canadian athlete: he lost a leg to cancer and subsequently attempted a coast-to-coast run across Canada to raise funds for cancer research
Vicente ( Spanish viˈθɛnte). born 1942, Mexican politician; president of Mexico (2000-06)
Sir William . 1812–93, New Zealand statesman, born in England: prime minister of New Zealand (1856; 1861–62; 1869–72; 1873)
a member of a North American Indian people formerly living west of Lake Michigan along the Fox River
the language of this people, belonging to the Algonquian family
First recorded before 900; 1960–65 fox for def. 8; Middle English, Old English; cognate with Old Saxon vohs, Middle Low German vos, Old High German fuhs ( German Fuchs ); cf. vixen
A fox is a small, dog-like wild animal with pointed ears and nose, and a thick tail. A red fox has dark front legs that look like little opera gloves. They’re sneaky, so a fox can also be a tricky person. There are different kinds of foxes, but they all have a reputation for sneaking around and stealing stuff. Because they’re known for being wily and smart, you can use the word fox to describe someone who's sly: "That old fox always manages to get other people to buy his lunch." Colloquially, a fox is also an attractive person. They say don’t let a fox guard the henhouse, even if the fox is really good looking.
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
All better: Basil, the fox who sneaked on a ship to New York.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026
Only the fox from the animal charity's list is listed as a contender.
From BBC • Jun. 2, 2026
As the day went on, we saw wild boar, red deer and a single nervous fox.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 30, 2026
Santa Rosa Island is also home to a lizard species found on three of the Channel Islands, a spotted skunk endemic to two Channel Islands, a unique island fox subspecies and several uncommon birds.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Then one night, while they’d been sipping tea in front of the hearth, the old fox had said, “Time to go,” and walked out the door.
From "The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest" by Aubrey Hartman
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.
