hyenine
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.
Also, hyaena.
Origin:
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
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
Related forms
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
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Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.
Cite This Source
|
Link To hyenine
00:10
Hyenine
is always a great word to know.
So is flibbertigibbet. Does it mean:
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| a chattering or flighty, light-headed person. |
Collins
World English Dictionary
hyena or hyaena (haɪˈiːnə) ![[Click for IPA pronunciation guide]](http://static.sfdict.com/dictstatic/g/d/dictionary_questionbutton_default.gif) | |
| —n | |
| See also strandwolf 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) | |
| [C16: from Medieval Latin, from Latin hyaena, from Greek huaina, from hus hog] | |
| hyaena or hyaena | |
| —n | |
| [C16: from Medieval Latin, from Latin hyaena, from Greek huaina, from hus hog] | |
| hy'enic or hyaena | |
| —adj | |
| hy'aenic or hyaena | |
| —adj | |
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
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Etymonline
Word Origin & History
hyena
mid-14c., from O.Fr. hiene, from L. hyaena, from Gk. hyaina "swine" (fem.), from hys "pig." Applied to cruel, treacherous, and greedy persons since at least 1670s.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper
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