wolverine

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See also: Wolverine

English[edit]

A wolverine.

Alternative forms[edit]

Etymology[edit]

1619; alteration of earlier wolvering (1574), diminutive of wolver (ravenous or savage animal; person who behaves like a wolf) (1593),[1] ultimately from wolf.

Pronunciation[edit]

  • IPA(key): /ˈwʊlvəˌɹiːn/, /ˈwɒlvəˌɹiːn/
  • (file)
  • (US, also) IPA(key): /ˌwʊlvəˈɹiːn/
  • (file)

Noun[edit]

wolverine (plural wolverines)

  1. A solitary, fierce mammal of the Mustelidae family, Gulo gulows.
    • 1920, Peter B. Kyne, chapter IV, in The Understanding Heart:
      “Wish I'd been more polite to that girl,” the sheriff remarked regretfully. “ I ain't had a bite to eat since four o'clock this morning, and I'm hungry as a wolverine. … I know she'd have give me another drink of that old moonshine she has.”

Synonyms[edit]

Translations[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Robert K. Barnhart, ed., Chambers Dictionary of Etymology (Edinburgh: Chambers, 2008), 1242.

See also[edit]