dhole

noun

: 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

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From those two specimens, the Colossal team recovered enough DNA to create two dire wolf genomes to compare with other canid species, including coyotes, jackals, dholes and other wolves. Brandi D. Addison, Austin American Statesman, 2 July 2025 Captured by camera traps for the first time in October 2022, the images show an Asiatic wild dog, or dhole, passing in front of the lens, researchers said. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 27 June 2025 From those two specimens, Shapiro and the team at Colossal recovered enough DNA to create two dire wolf genomes to compare with other canid species including coyotes, jackals, dholes and, of course, other wolves, Shapiro said. Mike Snider, USA Today, 7 Apr. 2025 Cuddly red pandas, which have ample undercoats, face natural predation from leopards and dholes, aka Asiatic wild dogs. Matt Hrodey, Discover Magazine, 9 May 2023 With over 40 different varieties of mammal found within the park, visitors are able to spot sloth bears, gaur, dhole, and even the barasingha, a large wetland deer that was once common throughout central and northern India. Jared Ranahan, Forbes, 28 Apr. 2021 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, 4 Aug. 2020 Gray says dholes are thought to be extinct in Vietnam and are likely to become extinct in Laos. Sarah Lazarus, CNN, 16 Oct. 2019 The dhole -- a tawny-colored wild dog -- is also highly endangered. Sarah Lazarus, CNN, 16 Oct. 2019

Word History

Etymology

perhaps from Kannada tōḷa wolf

First Known Use

circa 1827, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of dhole was circa 1827

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Cite this Entry

“Dhole.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dhole. Accessed 8 Jul. 2025.

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