black bear

American  

noun

1. a medium-sized North American bear, Ursus (Euarctos ) americanus, relatively common in uninhabited mountainous areas, ranging from light brown to black with a straight brown muzzle: northern populations may be gray to near-white.

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black bear British  

noun

1. a bear, Euarctos (or Ursus ) americanus , inhabiting forests of North America. It is smaller and less ferocious than the brown bear

2. a bear, Selenarctos thibetanus , of central and E Asia, whose coat is black with a pale V-shaped mark on the chest

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Etymology

Origin of black bear

First recorded in 1735–45

Example Sentences

The famous toy bear Winnie took its name from a black bear in London Zoo, that was particularly popular with children, including the son of AA Milne.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

The agency recorded one human fatality from a coyote in 1981 and another fatality from a black bear in 2023.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 20, 2026

The showrunner of the Angeles National Forest isn’t a 500-pound black bear or a stealthy mountain lion.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026

She’s also draped in fur—standard attire for a black bear.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 17, 2025

Might as well just throw open the cabin door full wide and invite that black bear right onto the hearth.

From "Lyddie" by Katherine Paterson