hyena

American  

[hahy-ee-nuh] / haɪˈi nə /

Or hyaena

noun

1. 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.

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hyena British  

/ haɪˈiːnə /

noun

1. 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) See also strandwolf

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Other Word Forms

• hyenic adjective
• hyenine adjective

Etymology

Origin of hyena

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

Compare meaning

How does hyena compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:

• jackal vs. hyena

Explanation

Hyenas, the most common carnivores in Africa, are medium-sized animals that resemble dogs but are more closely related to cats. Though they're famous for their creepy laugh, only one species of hyena makes a giggling noise. Spotted hyenas are the largest of the four distinct hyena species, and they're also the one variety that emits a laugh-like sound when they're being submissive to another animal. These tough carnivores have powerful jaws and teeth that allow them to eat nearly anything, including the bones of dead mammals. Hyena derives from a root word that means "pig," but they aren't related to pigs either — they have their own unique mammalian family, Hyaenidae.

Example Sentences

After the vessel transporting his family from India to Canada sinks, Pi escapes to a lifeboat with a zebra, a hyena, an orangutan and a tiger—and his situation gets more complicated with each passing day.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 30, 2026

A brown hyena standing beside the ruins of an abandoned diamond mining settlement has earned wildlife photographer Wim van den Heever the title of Wildlife Photographer of the Year.

From BBC • Oct. 14, 2025

This is a musical that treasures goofy imperfection, a scene where McInnerny does a funny little tap dance, or the joy in Shannon’s hyena cackle.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 6, 2024

While female-dominated hyena societies may not strike some as technically "queer," the same cannot be said of the countless male lions who spend most of their time in all-male groups called coalitions.

From Salon • Jun. 6, 2024

I look that way and oops, there’s Gene, doing his best impression of a fixated hyena or grizzly or something.

From "Popcorn" by Rob Harrell

Related Words

• mutt
• pooch
• pup