Main Entry: ¹wolf

Pronunciation: \ˈwu̇lf\

Function: noun

Inflected Form(s): plural wolves \ˈwu̇lvz\

Usage: often attributive

Etymology: Middle English, from Old English wulf; akin to Old High German wolf wolf, Latin lupus, Greek lykos

Date: before 12th century

1 plural also wolf a : any of several large predatory canids (genus Canis) that live and hunt in packs and resemble the related dogs; especially : gray wolf — compare coyote, jackal b : the fur of a wolf
2 a (1) : a fierce, rapacious, or destructive person (2) : a man forward, direct, and zealous in amatory attentions to women b : dire poverty : starvation <keep the wolf from the door> c : the maggot of a warble fly
3 [German; from the howling sound] a (1) : dissonance in some chords on organs, pianos, or other instruments with fixed tones tuned by unequal temperament (2) : an instance of such dissonance b : a harshness due to faulty vibration in various tones in a bowed instrument

— wolf·like \ˈwu̇lf-ˌlīk\ adjective

— wolf in sheep's clothing : one who cloaks a hostile intention with a friendly manner