Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun Any of several carnivorous mammals of the family Hyaenidae of Africa and Asia, which feed as scavengers and have powerful jaws, relatively short hind limbs, and coarse hair.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun A carnivorous quadruped of the genus Hyæna or family Hyænidæ.
  • noun The pouched dog, the thylacine dasyure of Tasmania, Thylacinus cynocephalus: so called from its predaceous and carnivorous habits. See zebra-wolf.
  • noun Also spelled hyæna.

from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.

  • noun (Zoöl.) Any carnivorous mammal of the family Hyænidæ, doglike nocturnal mammals of Africa and southern Asia, of which three living species are known. They are large and strong, but cowardly. They feed chiefly on carrion, and are nocturnal in their habits.
  • noun See under Cave.
  • noun (Zoöl.) a South African canine animal (Lycaon venaticus), which hunts in packs, chiefly at night. It is smaller than the common wolf, with very large, erect ears, and a bushy tail. Its color is reddish or yellowish brown, blotched with black and white. Called also hunting dog.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun Large, canine‐resembling carnivore belonging to the family Hyaenidae, native to Africa and Asia, often notable for the sound similar to laughter which it can make if excited.

from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.

  • noun doglike nocturnal mammal of Africa and southern Asia that feeds chiefly on carrion

Etymologies

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition

[Middle English hiena, from Old French hiene, from Latin hyaena, from Greek huaina, feminine of hūs, swine (from its bristly mane like a hog's); see sū- in Indo-European roots.]

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License

Old French hiene, from Latin hyaena, from Ancient Greek ὕαινα (huaina), from ὗς (hūs, "swine, pig") and -αινα ("feminine suffix"), from Proto-Indo-European *sū (“swine”).

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Examples

  • Today, the hyena is the most common carnivore in Africa.

    A Kind Word For Fisi* 2008

  • Ok, the hyena is my favorite and I wish I could see him do it in action!

    Thursday Thirteen (No 2) ewe are here 2007

  • At this point, this is nothing more than what we call hyena attacks, which happen when the bearish investors send their media hounds out to attack any weak prey in an attempt to foment

    US Market Commentary from Seeking Alpha 2010

  • One hyena is biting your tail while another is biting your foreleg.

    Axelrod slams Romney 2009

  • This is so true, I say that literally all the time to my cat. (thanks for the pointer, Ben!) hyena from the bee

    You’re A Kitty! : #comments 2007

  • (link) its like being angry at a hungry hyena, the hyena is just doing what comes naturally.

    A roundup of the NEA propaganda scandal. - Moe_Lane’s blog - RedState 2009

  • It's devastating for the hyenas, it's like killing the queen bee. hyenas have a mixed reputation (cowardice, scavenging) because they have mixed behaviour. they can be intimidated by small but spirited jackals. but they could also intimidate leopards and solitary lions on their best day (the smart cats would do the sensible thing and leave, getting bitten by a hyena is bad news anytime). because they are primarily nocturnal, most of their excellent hunting is hidden from view. so most observers see only the 'lowly' carrion eating in daylight.

    A Kind Word For Fisi* 2008

  • Bradley sat down unconscious of the fact that he had been insulted by being called a hyena-man, an appellation of contempt in Caspak.

    Out of Time's Abyss Edgar Rice Burroughs 1912

  • They never got hold of one, for the hyena is a coward.

    African Camp Fires Stewart Edward White 1909

  • The hyena is a cruel beast like to the wolf in devouring and gluttony, and reseth on dead men, and taketh their carcase out of the earth, and devoureth them.

    Mediaeval Lore from Bartholomew Anglicus Robert Steele 1902

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