hyaena

[ hahy-ee-nuh ]
/ haɪˈi nə /

noun

hyena.

OTHER WORDS FROM hyaena

hy·ae·nic, adjective

Words nearby hyaena

hyacinth bean, hyacinthin, hyacinthine, hyacinthus, hyades, hyaena, hyal-, hyalin, hyaline, hyaline body, hyaline cartilage

Definition for hyaena (2 of 2)

hyena

or hy·ae·na

[ hahy-ee-nuh ]
/ haɪˈi nə /

noun

a doglike carnivore of the family Hyaenidae, of Africa, southwestern Asia, and south central Asia, having a coarse coat, a sloping back, and large teeth and feeding chiefly on carrion, often in packs.
Compare brown hyena, spotted hyena, striped hyena.

Origin of hyena

1350–1400; Middle English hiena < Medieval Latin hyēna, Latin hyaena < Greek hýaina, equivalent to hy- (stem of hŷs) hog + -aina feminine suffix; replacing Middle English hyane, hyene < Middle French hiene < Latin

OTHER WORDS FROM hyena

hy·e·nic, hy·e·nine [hahy-ee-nahyn, -nin] /haɪˈi naɪn, -nɪn/, adjective

Example sentences from the Web for hyaena

British Dictionary definitions for hyaena (1 of 2)

hyaena
/ (haɪˈiːnə) /

noun

a variant spelling of hyena

Derived forms of hyaena

hyaenic, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for hyaena (2 of 2)

hyena

hyaena

/ (haɪˈiːnə) /

noun

any of several long-legged carnivorous doglike mammals of the genera Hyaena and Crocuta, such as C. crocuta (spotted or laughing hyena), of Africa and S Asia: family Hyaenidae, order Carnivora (carnivores) See also strandwolf

Derived forms of hyena

hyenic or hyaenic, adjective

Word Origin for hyena

C16: from Medieval Latin, from Latin hyaena, from Greek huaina, from hus hog