| English Dictionary |
HYENA
| Pronunciation (US): |  | (GB): | |
| IPA (US): |  |
Dictionary entry overview: What does hyena mean?
• HYENA (noun)
The noun HYENA has 1 sense:
1. doglike nocturnal mammal of Africa and southern Asia that feeds chiefly on carrion
Familiarity information: HYENA used as a noun is very rare.
Dictionary entry details
Sense 1
Meaning:
Doglike nocturnal mammal of Africa and southern Asia that feeds chiefly on carrion
Classified under:
Nouns denoting animals
Synonyms:
hyaena; hyena
Hypernyms ("hyena" is a kind of...):
canid; canine (any of various fissiped mammals with nonretractile claws and typically long muzzles)
Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "hyena"):
Hyaena hyaena; striped hyena (of northern Africa and Arabia and India)
brown hyena; Hyaena brunnea; strand wolf (of southern Africa)
Crocuta crocuta; laughing hyena; spotted hyena (African hyena noted for its distinctive howl)
aardwolf; Proteles cristata (striped hyena of southeast Africa that feeds chiefly on insects)
Holonyms ("hyena" is a member of...):
family Hyaenidae; Hyaenidae (hyenas)
Context examples
I gives the wolves and the jackals and the hyenas in all our section their tea afore I begins to arsk them questions.
(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)
Between 23 and 25 million years ago, newcomers arrived in Africa — the first relatives of modern dogs, cats and hyenas — where they coexisted with hyaenodonts for millions of years.
(Fossil discovery in Tanzania reveals ancient bobcat-sized carnivore, National Science Foundation)
A fierce cry seemed to give the lie to her favourable report: the clothed hyena rose up, and stood tall on its hind-feet.
(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)
| Learn English with... Proverbs |
"A spared body only goes twenty-four hours further that another" (Breton proverb)
"The ideal phrase is that which is short and to the point." (Arabic proverb)
"Have no respect at table and in bed." (Corsican proverb)