bison

American  

[bahy-suhn, -zuhn] / ˈbaɪ sən, -zən /

noun

plural

bison

1. Also called American bison, American buffalo.  a North American, oxlike ruminant, Bison bison, having a large head and high, humped shoulders: formerly common in North America, its small remaining population in isolated western areas of the U.S. and Canada is now protected.

2. Also called wisent.  a related animal, Bison bonasus, of Europe, less shaggy and slightly larger than the American bison: now greatly reduced in number.

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bison British  

/ ˈbaɪsən /

noun

1. Also called: American bison.   buffalo.  a member of the cattle tribe, Bison bison , formerly widely distributed over the prairies of W North America but now confined to reserves and parks, with a massive head, shaggy forequarters, and a humped back

2. Also called: wisent.   European bison.  a closely related and similar animal, Bison bonasus , formerly widespread in Europe

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Other Word Forms

• bisontine adjective

Etymology

Origin of bison

1350–1400; Middle English bisontes (plural) < Latin (nominative singular bisōn ) < Germanic; compare Old High German wisunt, Old English wesend, Old Norse visundr

Example Sentences

Mr Moat said "nothing is working as it should" in the landscape, which has lost beavers and bison, herds of wild boar and big herbivores.

From BBC

He also emphasizes that guns shifted the balance of power between humans and other animals, notably whales, bison and elephants.

From The Wall Street Journal

Their plans include bringing in large herbivores including ponies, hardy cattle and eventually even bison to graze the land naturally, and there are hopes pine martens, beavers and golden eagles could recolonise the landscape.

From BBC

I slowly unzipped the tent door, poked my head out and saw it: a lone bison head-butting a picnic table, lifting one end into the air with alarming ease.

From Los Angeles Times

In addition to endangered populations, the base is home to a herd of North American bison, one of only two wild conservation herds of bison in California.

From Los Angeles Times