wolverine
Americannoun
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wolverines
plural
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Also called carcajou. a stocky, carnivorous North American mammal, Gulo luscus, of the weasel family, having blackish, shaggy hair with white markings.
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(initial capital letter) a native or inhabitant of Michigan (the Wolverine State) (used as a nickname).
noun
Other Word Forms
Noun Inflected Forms
Etymology
Origin of wolverine
1565–75; alteration of earlier wolvering (with -ine 2 for -ing 3 ), obscure derivative of wolf
Explanation
A wolverine is a strong little animal, the largest member of the weasel family. You're most likely to see a wolverine if you go hiking in Alaska. Although they’re cute, don’t try to pet one. They are not cuddly. Wolverines are related to otters and badgers, but they're known as the fiercest weasels, able to fight and kill animals much larger than they are. Wolverines are dense and covered with shaggy fur, and because they resemble little bears — and mark their territories with a strong scent — they're sometimes called skunk bears. They weigh about 50 pounds. Wolverine was originally wolvering, which may come from the plural form of wolf, wolves, or possibly from wolver, "one who behaves like a wolf."
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:
In the early 2000s, Norrbotten accounted for roughly two-thirds of all documented wolverine reproductions in Sweden.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026
Without those exemptions, fuels-reduction projects that protect wolverine habitat from catastrophic fire would grind to a halt, directly threatening the species.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 1, 2025
In fact, they said, a close relative was a big fan of wild animals that had been stuffed and mounted — they had mountain lions, a wolverine and wolves in a “trophy room.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 26, 2025
"I saw the wolverine picture on the surface and I thought it was going to be in the cave and eat us."
From BBC ● Dec. 25, 2024
A wolverine snarled at him to stay away, and he snarled back as fiercely as he could, because wolverines only listen to threats.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
The study found that wolverines are spreading into southern parts of Sweden while declining in regions that historically supported the largest populations.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026
The program was designed to benefit both wolverines and the Indigenous Sámi reindeer herders who share the landscape with them.
From Science Daily ● Jun. 1, 2026
And of course, some species will never do well in fragments — for instance, wide-ranging creatures like grizzly bears, mountain lions and wolverines, who each require large territories without competition from others of their kind.
From Salon ● Jun. 6, 2024
Those who want to see wolverines reintroduced to California were dealt a setback this week.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 17, 2024
A wolverine snarled at him to stay away, and he snarled back as fiercely as he could, because wolverines only listen to threats.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
