bison

American  

[bahy-suhn, -zuhn] / ˈbaɪ sən, -zən /

noun

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.

---

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

---

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

Explanation

A bison is a large, shaggy, hoofed animal. Bison are mostly native to North America, though there is one species found in Western Europe and Central Asia. The most common type of bison is also called a buffalo, and it's the largest land animal in North America. Bison tend to travel in herds and periodically wallow in dirt to keep themselves cool and free of parasites, and while they're generally slow-moving, they can run as fast as 35 miles per hour when they want to. The word bison is Latin for "wild ox," ultimately from a Slavic or Baltic root meaning "the stinking animal."

Example Sentences

Prices would need to rise “substantially beyond that before we see a meaningful increase in oil-oriented drilling here in the U.S.,” said Josh Young at oil-and-gas investment firm Bison Interests.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 8, 2026

“It forces these businesses to really thoughtfully define their path to becoming a clinical-stage company earlier on,” said Caleb Appleton, a partner at Bison Ventures.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 31, 2025

Bison populations were already in steep decline by the mid-1800s, but after the Civil War, as industrialization transformed transportation, communication and mass production, the U.S.

From Salon • Oct. 28, 2024

Three female Bison were released into countryside near Canterbury, Kent, in July 2022 to help restore the area to its natural state.

From BBC • Jul. 18, 2024

Bison can run for hours at thirty miles per hour and use their massive, horned skulls like battering rams.

From "1491" by Charles C. Mann