polar bear

American  

noun

1. a large white bear, Ursus maritimus, of the Arctic regions.

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polar bear British  

noun

1. a white carnivorous bear, Thalarctos maritimus, of coastal regions of the North Pole

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Etymology

Origin of polar bear

First recorded in 1775–85

Example Sentences

He described how on one occasion a polar bear came looking for him.

From BBC • Apr. 8, 2026

When Rana’s curiosity leads her far from home, she must call on her memory of her mother’s stories and, with the help of an obliging polar bear, find her own way back.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

A polar bear suffers through an existential crisis of faith after realizing that he prefers Pepsi Max to Coke Zero.

From Slate • Feb. 8, 2026

Volunteer worker Marijn Roorda came dressed as a polar bear to highlight the plight of these animals as their habitat suffers from climate change.

From Barron's • Oct. 26, 2025

Never felt that deep-down, icy-cold certainty in his bones that a polar bear was about to charge him.

From "Two Degrees" by Alan Gratz