bruin

noun

bru·​in ˈbrü-ən 

plural bruins

: bear sense 1

Bears are the most popular animals in a number of our national parks. In the Smokies, where the population of bruins runs into the hundreds, opportunities to observe these large wild animals are plentiful during the summer.

—Edward Spargo and Glenn R. Williston

A disturbing and all-too-common sign of a feeding bear is an overturned garbage can … its contents scattered about as the bruin searched for something edible in the trash.

—Charles Fergus

Examples of bruin in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks was over the moon with the discovery of a monster bruin this week. —Amanda Kooser, Forbes, 14 Dec. 2024

But the bruins can sniff out a meal, officials said. —Isaac Yee, CNN, 22 Nov. 2024

Hillman had binged several seasons of this bruin reality show already. —Stephanie Vermillion, USA TODAY, 19 Oct. 2024

Plate-sized globs of bear scat lay everywhere, and the bruins’ beds cratered the forest floor. —Ben Goldfarb, Smithsonian Magazine, 23 Oct. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle Dutch, name of the bear in Reynard the Fox

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

bruin

noun

bru·​in ˈbrü-ən 

: bear entry 1 sense 1

Etymology

from Bruin, name of a bear in literature, from early Dutch bruin "brown"