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red fox

American  

noun

  • red foxes
    plural
  1. a fox, Vulpes vulpes, usually having orangish-red to reddish-brown fur.


red fox British  

noun

  1. the common fox, Vulpes vulpes , which has a reddish-brown coat: family Canidae , order Carnivora (carnivores)

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

Etymology

Origin of red fox

An Americanism dating back to 1630–40

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

The mammals are: the bottlenose dolphin, the brown hare, the European hedgehog, the grey seal, the pine martin and the red fox.

From BBC Jun. 2, 2026

A red fox that managed to slip onto a US-bound ship in Britain was discovered by customs officers in the Port of New York, a zoo in the city has said.

From Barron's Mar. 13, 2026

The Sierra Nevada red fox is a distinct lineage from the common red fox known for residing in high-elevation, remote mountainous regions.

From Los Angeles Times Feb. 10, 2026

"In this image, you can see a red fox walking along a tree branch at a considerable height from the ground, demonstrating that these animals are true tightrope walkers of nature," says Fernandez.

From BBC Mar. 14, 2024

Up on one of those bumpy hummocks, just standing with its huge bushy tail straight out behind, was a red fox.

From "Miracles on Maple Hill" by Virginia Sorensen

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