coyote

noun

coy·​ote kī-ˈō-tē 

chiefly Western

ˈkī-ˌōt 

plural coyotes or coyote

1

: a buff-gray to reddish-gray swift carnivorous mammal (Canis latrans) of North America that is closely related to but smaller than the wolf, has a narrow pointed muzzle and triangular ears, hunts singly or in small groups, and is known for its various distinctive vocalizations (such as barks, yips, and howls)

Note: The coyote is often considered a threat to livestock. Despite being hunted and trapped, the coyote has expanded its original range and is found in all states except Hawaii.

2

slang : one who smuggles immigrants into the U.S.

Illustration of coyote

• coyote 1

Examples of coyote in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Other creatures that will benefit from creating a 100-foot-wide overpass in Arizona are black bears, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, mountain lions and smaller animals. —Noël Fletcher, Forbes, 29 Oct. 2024

But the abundant desert beauty, such as seeing shooting stars streaking over their home nearly every night, hearing coyotes howl and watching hawks swerve overhead, make up for it. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 18 Oct. 2024

In the blink of an eye, the coyote grabbed her in broad daylight. —Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY, 25 Sep. 2024

Groundcovers: Dwarf coyote bush (one of the best possible deep-rooting slope retainers), manzanita (incredibly fire resistant with hard, dense leaves), Ceanothus, and Oregon grape. —Kristin Guy, Sunset Magazine, 20 Sep. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Mexican Spanish, from Nahuatl coyōtl

First Known Use

1759, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

coyote

noun

coy·​ote kī-ˈōt-ē  ˈkī-ˌōt 

plural coyotes or coyote

: a tannish gray to reddish gray North American mammal related to but smaller than the wolf