wolverine

American  

[wool-vuh-reen, wool-vuh-reen] / ˌwʊl vəˈrin, ˈwʊl vəˌrin /

noun

wolverines plural

1. Also called carcajou.  a stocky, carnivorous North American mammal, Gulo luscus, of the weasel family, having blackish, shaggy hair with white markings.

2. (initial capital letter) a native or inhabitant of Michigan (the Wolverine State) (used as a nickname).

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wolverine British  

/ ˈwʊlvəˌriːn /

noun

1. Also called: glutton.  a large musteline mammal, Gulo gulo, of northern forests of Eurasia and North America having dark very thick water-resistant fur

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• wolverines
  plural

Etymology

Origin of wolverine

1565–75; alteration of earlier wolvering (with -ine ² for -ing ³ ), obscure derivative of wolf

Explanation

A wolverine is a strong little animal, the largest member of the weasel family. You're most likely to see a wolverine if you go hiking in Alaska. Although they’re cute, don’t try to pet one. They are not cuddly. Wolverines are related to otters and badgers, but they're known as the fiercest weasels, able to fight and kill animals much larger than they are. Wolverines are dense and covered with shaggy fur, and because they resemble little bears — and mark their territories with a strong scent — they're sometimes called skunk bears. They weigh about 50 pounds. Wolverine was originally wolvering, which may come from the plural form of wolf, wolves, or possibly from wolver, "one who behaves like a wolf."

Example Sentences

For those who grew up with Wolverine, Rogue, Gambit and the gang back in the old days, “X-Men ’97” is for you.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 30, 2026

I’m supposed to point out that the Wolverine football program went kablooey.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 7, 2026

Others created battle scenes between iconic superheroes like Wolverine and Superman or between a Transformer and Godzilla.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 18, 2026

She also played Dr Verity Willis, aka Hunter B-15, in the Marvel series Loki before reprising the role in the film Deadpool & Wolverine.

From BBC • Jan. 22, 2026

Wolverine, the company that makes Hush Puppies, was thinking of phasing out the shoes that made them famous.

From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell