gray wolf

noun

: a large, broad-headed, wide-muzzled wolf (Canis lupus) that has a dense, heavy coat of usually light brown or brownish gray interspersed with black above and yellowish white below and that was formerly widely distributed throughout North America and Eurasia but is now greatly restricted to the more northerly parts of its range

The only sizable gray wolf population south of Canada and Alaska continues to roam the forest-and-lake country of northern Minnesota.

—Vic Banks

Note: The gray wolf has been considered a threat to livestock and people for hundreds of years and has been wiped out from most of its original range by hunting, trapping, and poisoning.

called also timber wolf

Illustration of gray wolf

Examples of gray wolf in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

On April 9, another gray wolf mortality was reported. —Noël Fletcher, Forbes.com, 26 Apr. 2025

The expansion of gray wolf populations is upending California cattle operations, leading to millions of dollars in losses for ranchers, a report published Monday has found. —Sharon Udasin, The Hill, 21 Apr. 2025

Baxter was revealed to be 39.2 percent Perro de Presa Canario, 35.8 percent German Shepherd, 10.8 percent American Bulldog and, most surprising of all, 14.2 percent gray wolf. —David Faris, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Apr. 2025

The process was accomplished via DNA extracted from two fossils as well as 20 edits of the genetic code of a gray wolf, the species’ closest living relative, according to research carried out by Colossal, sometimes known as the De-Extinction Company. —Degen Pener, HollywoodReporter, 7 Apr. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1595, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gray wolf

• werewolf
• beowulf

Kids Definition

gray wolf

noun

: a large wolf of northern regions that is usually gray

called also timber wolf