ENGLISH
REFERENCE

grizzly

n. countable
C1 Advanced US //ˈɡɹɪzɫi// UK //ɡɹˈɪzli// griz·zly Dialect

n. a very large, powerful brown bear that lives in North America. These bears are known for being strong and sometimes dangerous to humans.

n. a large, powerful subspecies of brown bear native to North America, characterized by a distinctive hump on its shoulders and long claws. Often used as a shortened form of 'grizzly bear'.


SIMPLE

The hikers saw a grizzly from a safe distance.

CONTEXTUAL

Wildlife experts warn that a grizzly can run much faster than a human, even when going uphill.

COMPLEX

Conservation efforts in the national park have led to a steady increase in the grizzly population, though this success brings new challenges regarding human-wildlife conflict in nearby towns.

Synonyms
Origin

From grizzle + -y.

Usage

Often used as a modifier before 'bear', but functions as a standalone noun in North American English.

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