woolly mammoth

noun

: a heavy-coated mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) formerly inhabiting the colder parts of the northern hemisphere

Illustration of woolly mammoth

Illustration of woolly mammoth

Examples of woolly mammoth in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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For instance, scientists with the Revive & Restore project have proposed using gene manipulation to create elephants that have the heavy coats of woolly mammoths. Smithsonian Magazine, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Oct. 2024 The resulting animal will be a close approximation of a thylacine—or, in the company’s other de-extinction projects, a modern woolly mammoth or dodo. Margherita Bassi, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Oct. 2024 The rail line spans 62 miles (almost 100 km) of track and 26 miles (42 km) of tunnels, and its construction uncovered many historical artifacts, including everything from a Tudor bowling ball to a prehistoric woolly mammoth. Adam Williams, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2024 Neandertal numbers also took a hit as their larger prey—woolly mammoths, bison and woolly rhinoceros—dwindled during the Ice Ages. Daniel Vergano, Scientific American, 11 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for woolly mammoth 

Word History

First Known Use

1874, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of woolly mammoth was in 1874

Dictionary Entries Near woolly mammoth

Cite this Entry

“Woolly mammoth.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/woolly%20mammoth. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

woolly mammoth

noun
: an extinct mammal that was a heavy-coated mammoth of cold northern regions and is known from fossils, from the drawings of prehistoric human beings, and from entire dead frozen bodies dug up in Siberia

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