cub

noun

ˈkəb 

1

a

: a young carnivorous mammal (such as a bear, fox, or lion)

b

: a young shark

2

: a young person

3

: apprentice

especially : an inexperienced newspaper reporter

Synonyms

• novice
• apprentice
• rookie
• beginner
• freshman
• newcomer

Examples of cub in a Sentence

the kind of big story that can propel a cub reporter into the stratosphere of the newspaper world

assigned to teach a bunch of young cubs how to play baseball

Recent Examples on the Web

There were these two bear cubs and a momma bear there. —Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 10 July 2025

The 10-piece Lego set comes with penguin, chick, lioness, and cub figures, as well as bricks that showcase each animal’s natural habitat for fun and educational play. —Mia Huelsbeck, People.com, 8 July 2025

The video has since charmed viewers online, racking up over 122,000 views and sparking plenty of affection for the toy-thieving fox cub and its mischievous crew. —Melissa Fleur Afshar, MSNBC Newsweek, 4 July 2025

The pair spotted a sow black bear paddling hard through open water with a pair of young cubs clinging to her back. —Alice Jones Webb, Outdoor Life, 3 July 2025

Word History

Etymology

probably akin to Middle English cobbe leader of a group, head — more at cob

First Known Use

1530, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Phrases Containing cub

• cub reporter

Rhymes for cub

• bub
• club
• dub
• grub
• hub
• nub
• pub
• rub
• scrub
• shrub
• snub
• stub

Kids Definition

cub

noun

ˈkəb 

1

a

: a young flesh-eating mammal (as a bear, fox, or lion)

b

: a young shark

2

: a young person

3

: a person just learning a job : apprentice

a cub reporter

a cub pilot

4

: cub scout