dhole

noun

\ ˈdōl

How to pronounce dhole (audio)

\

Definition of dhole

: a wild dog (Cuon alpinus) occurring from India to southern Siberia that typically hunts in packs and often preys on large animals (such as deer and antelope) Among the dhole's most distinctive features is its whistle—a high-pitched call apparently used to coordinate cooperative hunting.— Arun Venkataraman

Examples of dhole in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Despite this massive effort, the researchers only registered four dhole sightings, 11 wolf sightings, 45 leopard sightings and 309 snow leopard sightings. — Jessie Yeung, CNN, "China saved the giant panda, but conservation efforts ignored other species says new study," 4 Aug. 2020 Gray says dholes are thought to be extinct in Vietnam and are likely to become extinct in Laos. — Sarah Lazarus, CNN, "'Barbaric' snares are wiping out Southeast Asia's wild animals," 16 Oct. 2019 The dhole -- a tawny-colored wild dog -- is also highly endangered. — Sarah Lazarus, CNN, "'Barbaric' snares are wiping out Southeast Asia's wild animals," 16 Oct. 2019 Dholes hunt cooperatively, breaking into smaller groups to surround prey animals hidden deep in the vegetation. — National Geographic, "Whistling Caterpillars And 5 More Surprisingly Musical Species," 26 Apr. 2017 For five of the seventeen predators—clouded leopard, Sunda clouded leopard, tiger, dhole (a wild Asian dog), and Ethiopian wolf— — National Geographic, "The World’s Top Predators Are Dining From Dwindling Menus," 3 Aug. 2016

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'dhole.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about dhole

Dictionary Entries near dhole

Statistics for dhole

Cite this Entry

“Dhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dhole. Accessed 4 Mar. 2021.

Style: MLA

MLA

Chicago

APA

Merriam-Webster

WORD OF THE DAY

smorgasbord

Listen to the pronunciation of smorgasbord

See Definitions and Examples »

Get Word of the Day daily email!

Test Your Vocabulary

February 2021 Words of the Day Quiz

Which is a synonym of perdure?

How Strong Is Your Vocabulary?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!

TAKE THE QUIZ

Anagram puzzles meet word search.

TAKE THE QUIZ