Illustration of coyote
- coyote 1
plural coyotes or coyote
1
: a buff-gray to reddish-gray swift carnivorous mammal (Canis latrans) of North America that is closely related to but smaller than the wolf, has a narrow pointed muzzle and triangular ears, hunts singly or in small groups, and is known for its various distinctive vocalizations (such as barks, yips, and howls)
Note: The coyote is often considered a threat to livestock. Despite being hunted and trapped, the coyote has expanded its original range and is found in all states except Hawaii.
2
slang
: one who smuggles immigrants into the U.S.
Examples of coyote in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Living with coyotes: Batiquitos Lagoon will put on a presentation on the natural history of coyotes led by Project Wildlife rehabilitation specialist Kelly Wallace.
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The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024
When trying to determine if an animal is a wolf versus a coyote, aside from the size difference, wolves have shorter, blunter noses and rounder faces, while coyotes have much more angular features and longer, sharper snouts.
—Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 3 Apr. 2024
The best way to keep coyotes away from your property is to make sure there’s no food and water sources on your property, including outdoor pet food, officials said.
—Brooke Baitinger, Sacramento Bee, 28 Mar. 2024
Quinn said coyotes have the instinct to chase after moving targets.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Officially, Eastern coyotes are one of 19 coyote subspecies, and scientists disagree on whether or not coywolves should be designated as a species of their own.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024
The coyote harvest, and the number of coyotes harvested per hunter, have not increased since 2016.
—Jennifer Dixon, Detroit Free Press, 14 Mar. 2024
Tips on how people can prevent coyotes or other unwanted wildlife from entering their home or yard are available at sdhumane.org/programs/project-wildlife/coexist.html.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2024
The nonprofit used the coyote pups' arrival as an opportunity to remind animal lovers of the best way to handle wildlife encounters.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024
The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Apr. 2024
When trying to determine if an animal is a wolf versus a coyote, aside from the size difference, wolves have shorter, blunter noses and rounder faces, while coyotes have much more angular features and longer, sharper snouts.
—Katie Hill, Outdoor Life, 3 Apr. 2024
The best way to keep coyotes away from your property is to make sure there’s no food and water sources on your property, including outdoor pet food, officials said.
—Brooke Baitinger, Sacramento Bee, 28 Mar. 2024
Quinn said coyotes have the instinct to chase after moving targets.
—Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 21 Mar. 2024
Officially, Eastern coyotes are one of 19 coyote subspecies, and scientists disagree on whether or not coywolves should be designated as a species of their own.
—Carlyn Kranking, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024
The coyote harvest, and the number of coyotes harvested per hunter, have not increased since 2016.
—Jennifer Dixon, Detroit Free Press, 14 Mar. 2024
Tips on how people can prevent coyotes or other unwanted wildlife from entering their home or yard are available at sdhumane.org/programs/project-wildlife/coexist.html.
—City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2024
The nonprofit used the coyote pups' arrival as an opportunity to remind animal lovers of the best way to handle wildlife encounters.
—Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 29 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coyote.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Coyote.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coyote. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
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