bison

noun

bi·​son ˈbī-sᵊn  -zᵊn 

plural bison

: any of several large living or extinct bovine mammals (genus Bison) that have a long, broad head, short, hollow horns, heavy forequarters, a large muscular hump across the shoulders, and a shaggy mane on the head and lower neck and that typically live and migrate in herds: such as

a

: american bison

b

: european bison

bisontine

ˈbī-sᵊn-ˌtīn 

-zᵊn-

adjective

Examples of bison in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Arnold says softly, presumably so as not to disturb the bison or call attention to herself. —Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 30 Sep. 2025

The bison roaming Yellowstone National Park, an elephant herd thundering across the African terrain in Tanzania or Botswana, a humpback whale breaching off the coast of Hawaii or Mexico. —Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 27 Sep. 2025

Oysters, mussels, duck, turkey eggs, and bison contain more than that. —Kelly Burch, Verywell Health, 24 Sep. 2025

In the new study, the team used the example of someone hiking through Yellowstone National Park and seeing a herd of bison walking along. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 24 Sep. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Latin bisont-, bison, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German wisant aurochs; akin to Old Prussian wissambrs aurochs

First Known Use

circa 1611, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing bison

• American bison
• European bison
• plains bison
• wood bison

Rhymes for bison

• seisin
• actinomycin
• adriamycin
• aureomycin
• azithromycin
• clarithromycin
• erythromycin
• bleomycin
• clindamycin
• kanamycin
• lincomycin
• mitomycin

Kids Definition

bison

noun

bi·​son ˈbīs-ᵊn  ˈbīz- 

plural bison

: any of several large shaggy-maned mammals related to the ox with a large head, short horns, and a large fleshy hump above the shoulders

especially : buffalo sense c