coyote
[ kahy-oh-tee, kahy-oht ]
/ kaɪˈoʊ ti, ˈkaɪ oʊt /
noun, plural coy·o·tes, (especially collectively) coy·o·te.
Also called prairie wolf.
a buffy-gray, wolflike canid, Canis latrans, of North America, distinguished from the wolf by its relatively small size and its slender build, large ears, and narrow muzzle.
Slang.
a contemptible person, especially an avaricious or dishonest one.
American Indian Legend.
the coyote regarded as a culture hero and trickster by American Indian tribes of the West.
Slang.
a person who smuggles immigrants, especially Latin Americans, into the U.S. for a fee.
Origin of coyote
1825–35; earlier
cuiota, cayota < Mexican Spanish
coyote < Nahuatl
coyōtl
Words nearby coyote
Example sentences from the Web for coyote
British Dictionary definitions for coyote
coyote
/ (ˈkɔɪəʊt, kɔɪˈəʊt, kɔɪˈəʊtɪ) /
noun plural -otes or -ote
Also called: prairie wolf
a predatory canine mammal, Canis latrans, related to but smaller than the wolf, roaming the deserts and prairies of North America
(in Native American legends of the West) a trickster and culture hero represented as a man or as an animal
Word Origin for coyote
C19: from Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl
coyotl