brown bear

American  

noun

brown bears plural

1. any of several medium-sized to large bears of the species Ursus arctos, inhabiting North America and Eurasia in dwindling populations, characterized by an upturned muzzle and a hump high on the back and ranging from light tan to near black; formerly considered three distinct species and often still referred to as such: U. horribilis, the grizzly bear; U. middendorffi, the Kodiac bear; and U. arctos, comprising European and Asian brown bears.

---

brown bear British  

noun

1. a large ferocious brownish bear, Ursus arctos , inhabiting temperate forests of North America, Europe, and Asia See also grizzly bear Kodiak bear

---

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• brown bears
  plural

Etymology

Origin of brown bear

First recorded in 1775–85

Compare meaning

How does brown-bear compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• brown bear vs. grizzly bear

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

brown bear

Living in a mountain village in northern Greece, retired furrier Dimitris Despas is no stranger to brown bear encounters -- the latest one in his garden just weeks ago.

From Barron's ● Jul. 9, 2026

"We recovered two pendants: one made from a shell and another from a brown bear tooth," said Tornero.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 3, 2026

Later, when the AI reported a brown bear moving in the yard, she was less concerned.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 5, 2026

Dr Andrew Kitchener, of National Museums Scotland - where the bear fossils are held - said polar and brown bear habitats may have overlapped thousands of years ago as they do today.

From BBC ● Nov. 29, 2024

The dad was a giant brown bear, they said.

From "Everything Sad Is Untrue" by Daniel Nayeri