vulpine

English

Etymology

From Latin vulpinus (“foxy, fox-like”), from vulpēs, earlier volpēs (“fox”), from Proto-Indo-European *wl(o)p- (“fox”). Cognate with Welsh llywarn (“fox”), Ancient Greek ἀλώπηξ (alōpēks), Armenian աղուէս (aluēs), Albanian dhelpër, Lithuanian vilpišỹs (“wildcat”), Sanskrit lopāśa (“jackal, fox”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA: /ˈvʌlpʌɪn/

• Audio (US)

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Adjective

vulpine (comparative more vulpine, superlative most vulpine)

1. Pertaining to a fox.
   • 1910, Saki, ‘The Bag’, Reginald in Russia:

     She dared not raise her eyes above the level of the tea-table, and she almost expected to see a spot of accusing vulpine blood drip down and stain the whiteness of the cloth.

2. Having the characteristics of a fox, foxlike; cunning.

Translations

pertaining to a fox

• Bulgarian: хитър (bg) (hitǎr)
• Dutch: geslepen (nl)
• French: vulpin (fr)

• Hungarian: furfangos (hu)
• Portuguese: vulpino (pt)
• Romanian: șiret (ro)

foxlike

• Bulgarian: лисича (bg) (lisiča)
• Dutch: vosachtig (nl)

• Esperanto: vulpa (eo)
• French: vulpin (fr)

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French

Adjective

vulpine f

1. feminine form of vulpin

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Latin

Adjective

vulpīne

1. vocative masculine singular of vulpīnus