brown bear

noun

: any of several chiefly brown bears that are usually considered a single species (Ursus arctos), that formerly inhabited western North America from Alaska to northern Mexico and much of Europe and Asia but are now much restricted in range, and that include the grizzly bear and Kodiak bear

Illustration of brown bear

Examples of brown bear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Those plans were derailed, however, around 9:30 a.m., when a large male brown bear, known by the NPS as 469, attacked a large female bear, known as 402, in the Brooks River. —Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 2 Oct. 2024

Bears are often classified as carnivores, although black and brown bears are actually omnivores. —Allison Futterman, Discover Magazine, 1 Oct. 2024

Alaska's Fat Bear Week turns deadly Each year, the Katmai National Park & Preserve in Alaska puts on Fat Bear Week to highlight brown bears with exemplary survival skills. —Ayana Archie, NPR, 18 Dec. 2024

Compare this with brown bears, like the Fat Bear Week behemoths of Katmai National Park in Alaska. —Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1757, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

brown bear

noun

: any of several bears that are mostly brown in color, are usually lumped together in a single species including the grizzly bear, and at one time inhabited much of North America from Alaska to northern Mexico as well as Europe and Asia