dire wolf

See also: direwolf

English

Two reconstructions of the dire wolf (sense 1)

Alternative forms

• direwolf

Pronunciation

• (General American) IPA^(key): /ˈdaɪ.ɚ wʊlf/
• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /ˈdaɪə wʊlf/

• Audio (US):

  (file)

Noun

dire wolf (plural dire wolves)

1. An extinct canine (†Aenocyon dirus) from the Pleistocene epoch, heavier and slightly larger than the modern grey wolf.
   • 2025 April 7, Katie Hunt, “Scientists say they have resurrected the dire wolf”, in CNN‎^[1]:

     Colossal scientists have created three dire wolf pups by using ancient DNA, cloning and gene-editing technology to alter the genes of a gray wolf, the prehistoric dire wolf’s closest living relative, the company announced Monday. […] The three dire wolves are living on a 2,000-acre site at an undisclosed location enclosed by 10-foot-tall (3-meter-tall) “zoo-grade” fencing, where they are monitored by security personnel, drones and live camera feeds.

2. (fantasy) Synonym of warg (“type of wolf”)

Translations

extinct canine

• Dutch: reuzenwolf (nl) m
• Finnish: hirviösusi
• Greek: ανταρόλυκος m (antarólykos)
• Icelandic: gramúlfur m, ógnarúlfur m
• Japanese: ダイアウルフ (daiaurufu)
• Korean: 다이어울프 (daieoulpeu)
• Latin: canis dirus m
• Lezgi: буьтён жанавур (bütën žanavur)
• Polish: wilk straszny (pl) m
• Portuguese: lobo-terrível m
• Russian: ужа́сный во́лк m (užásnyj vólk)
• Spanish: lobo gigante m, lobo terrible m
• Swedish: jättevarg c, skräckvarg c
• Turkish: ulukurt

Further reading

• dire wolf on Wikipedia.Wikipedia
• Aenocyon dirus on Wikispecies.Wikispecies
• Category:Aenocyon dirus on Wikimedia Commons.Wikimedia Commons

Anagrams

• Worfield