black bear

noun

1. a medium-sized North American bear, Ursus ( Euarctos ) americanus, relatively common in uninhabited mountainous areas, ranging from light brown to black with a straight brown muzzle: northern populations may be gray to near-white.

black bear

noun

1. American black bear
   a bear, Euarctos (or Ursus ) americanus , inhabiting forests of North America. It is smaller and less ferocious than the brown bear
2. Asiatic black bear
   a bear, Selenarctos thibetanus , of central and E Asia, whose coat is black with a pale V-shaped mark on the chest

Word History and Origins

Origin of black bear¹

First recorded in 1735–45

Example Sentences

A rare sighting of a black bear in the San Fernando Valley occurred last week.

From Los Angeles Times

A very well-traveled black bear appears to, again, be spending time in the San Fernando Valley, this time being spotted near Encino.

From Los Angeles Times

The smell from the outdoor shed and the home “were emitting odors associated with organic matter that are attracting varmints and black bears,” Garcia wrote.

From Los Angeles Times

A 12-year-old boy fatally shot a black bear as it was mauling his father in the US state of Wisconsin, say wildlife officials.

From BBC

Sometimes the wildlife guests weigh 500 pounds, like the black bear called Victor who frequented the Mammoth Lake campgrounds.

From Los Angeles Times