arctic hare

noun

: a gregarious hare (Lepus arcticus) of the tundra of Greenland and northern Canada that turns white in winter and is a major food source for arctic predators (such as wolves and snowy owls)

Examples of arctic hare in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
These examples are automatically compiled from online sources to illustrate current usage. Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Why Do Animals Change Their Fur? Snowshoe hares, arctic hares, and mountain hares, for example, shed their brown fur and turn white, to blend in with the fallen snow, avoid predators, and hunt prey. Sofia Quaglia, Discover Magazine, 6 Dec. 2023 The arctic fox population usually cycles through high and low stages depending on the population size of the arctic hare. Tess Williams, Anchorage Daily News, 2 June 2021 Here’s looking at you: The positioning of an arctic hare’s eyes, seen here at sunset, allows the animal to check for predators in virtually all directions without turning its head. Lakruwan Wanniarachchi, National Geographic, 5 Nov. 2020 His daemon is an arctic hare named Hester (voiced by Cristela Alonzo). Nick Romano, EW.com, 3 Nov. 2019

Word History

First Known Use

1842, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of arctic hare was in 1842

Dictionary Entries Near arctic hare

Cite this Entry

“Arctic hare.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/arctic%20hare. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

arctic hare

noun
: a large hare of arctic America that is almost completely white in winter
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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