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
   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
   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

Then there was the black bear, which chased her, and an industrial pan of lasagna, down a wooden path.

From The Daily Beast

The décor included several pieces of taxidermy, including a massive stuffed black bear on the stage.

From The Daily Beast

This time she threw wide open the door, and there stood a great black bear.

From Project Gutenberg

But those black stripes on the chipmunk's back show where the paw of the black bear touched him as he slipped into the tree.

From Project Gutenberg

Two fawns were killed during this afternoon's journey of twelve miles, and a black bear was seen.

From Project Gutenberg

To Jack and Fred he seemed fully four times the size of the largest black bear they had ever seen in any zoological garden.

From Project Gutenberg

The Falls were the only thing which the black bear really feared.

From Project Gutenberg