vulpine

[ vuhl-pahyn, -pin ]

See synonyms for vulpine on Thesaurus.com

adjective

of or resembling a fox.
cunning or crafty.

Origin of vulpine

First recorded in 1620–30; from Latin vulpīnus, equivalent to vulp(ēs) “fox” + -īnus adjective suffix; see origin at -ine¹; from the same root as Greek alṓpēx and alōpós “fox”

Words Nearby vulpine

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use vulpine in a sentence

I remember that as we said good-bye, there was that in her smile that recalled the vulpine complacency of Mona Lisa, the Wise.
The Red One | Jack London
Then, temporarily, his vulpine face showed avaricious hope, and then apprehension.
Space Viking | Henry Beam Piper
No vulpine contraction of the muzzle, such as would have suggested the sleuth and invited suspicion.
The Incendiary | W. A. (William Augustine) Leahy
Even Fleetwood's devil, much addicted to cape and sword and ladder, the vulpine and the gryphine, rejected it.
The Amazing Marriage, Complete | George Meredith
The vulpine phalanger does duty for a fox; the fat and sleepy little dormouse phalanger takes the place of a European dormouse.
Falling in Love | Grant Allen

British Dictionary definitions for vulpine

vulpine

/ (ˈvʌlpaɪn) /

adjective

Also: vulpecular (vʌlˈpɛkjʊlə) of, relating to, or resembling a fox
possessing the characteristics often attributed to foxes; crafty, clever, etc

Origin of vulpine

C17: from Latin vulpīnus foxlike, from vulpēs a fox

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

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