canid

American  

[kan-id, kay-nid] / ˈkæn ɪd, ˈkeɪ nɪd /

noun

1. any animal of the dog family Canidae, including the wolves, jackals, hyenas, coyotes, foxes, and domestic dogs.

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canid Scientific  

/ kăn′ĭd,kā′nĭd /

1. Any of various carnivorous mammals of the family Canidae, which includes the dogs, wolves, foxes, coyotes, and jackals.

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Etymology

Origin of canid

1885–90; < New Latin Canidae, equivalent to Can ( is ) a genus, including the dog and wolf ( Latin: dog) + -idae -id ²

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Explanation

Canids are a family of mammals that include wolves, foxes, and jackals. Even if a pet Chihuahua is small enough to fit in a tote bag, it's still a canid. The word canid is just a scientific way to say "dog." All dog-like animals fall into this category, and every canid can be traced back to a common ancestor — from dingoes and coyotes to the goofy Golden retriever that sneaks onto your bed every night. Canid is from the Modern Latin Canidae and a root word meaning "dog."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

canid

The canid became the first large mammal known to ascend the gargantuan wildlife crossing nearing completion over the bustling 101 Freeway.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 4, 2026

DNA analysis of two canid bones confirmed the animals were wolves rather than early dogs, with no signs of dog ancestry.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 29, 2025

This means that an afflicted human could change from human to monstrous canid and back again every two hours, staying in wolf form for a full hour at a time.

From Scientific American ● Oct. 27, 2023

Keep in mind that, as recently as 10,000 years ago, wolves were some of the most common predators on Earth, and wolves and their close canid relatives occupied every continent save Antarctica and Australia.

From Salon ● Jul. 15, 2022

A weathered, posterior part of a canid skull was found in dunes at Camp 2 on July 10, and a partial left mandible was taken on the beach at Camp 1 on July 6.

From Vertebrates from the Barrier Island of Tamaulipas, M?xico by Richard F. Johnston

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