African wild dog

noun

variants or less commonly African hunting dog
: a powerful canid (Lycaon pictus) that has a mottled coat of black, white, and reddish yellow, lives and hunts in packs, and was formerly common in sub-Saharan Africa but is now restricted to small populations in southern and eastern Africa

Word History

First Known Use

1827, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of African wild dog was in 1827

Dictionary Entries Near African wild dog

Cite this Entry

“African wild dog.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/African%20wild%20dog. Accessed 15 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on African wild dog

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!