grizzly bear

Definition of grizzly bear

: a very large brown bear (Ursus arctos) of northwestern North America

Note: The grizzly bear is the same species as the brown bear, but grizzly bear is typically used for the North American brown bear and not the European or Asian brown bear. In the U.S., grizzly bear is most often used for a brown bear of inland habitats (as in Montana and western Canada) that is typically smaller than coastal brown bears and usually has lighter-colored tips on the fur. The grizzly bear is often considered a subspecies (Ursus arctos horribilis) of the brown bear and, especially formerly, a separate species (Ursus horribilis).

The brown bears of Kodiak Island, the grizzly bears of the Rocky Mountains and interior Alaska, the European brown bear, all are now considered to be the same species, Ursus arctos, despite tremendous variation in color, size, and habits. — Natural History

— called also grizzly

Examples of grizzly bear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web In spring in Alaska, many alarmed people call the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to report that there are grizzly bear droppings in their yards. — Bill Heavey, Field & Stream, "11 Kinds of Animal Poop Hunters Should Know," 13 Jan. 2020 Federal wildlife officials said in 2011 that additional areas should be considered for grizzly bear recovery, but that work has never been completed. — BostonGlobe.com, "BILLINGS, Mont. — US officials will review whether grizzly bears have enough protections across the Lower 48 states after advocates sued the government in a bid to restore the fearsome animals to more areas, according to court documents filed Monday.," 11 Dec. 2019 Federal wildlife officials said in 2011 that additional areas should be considered for grizzly bear recovery, but that work has never been completed. — Washington Post, "National Digest: Federal officials agree to review effectiveness of grizzly bear protections," 10 Dec. 2019 Federal wildlife officials said in 2011 that additional areas should be considered for grizzly bear recovery, but that work has never been completed. — Matthew Brown, The Denver Post, "U.S. wildlife officials agree to grizzly bear review after lawsuit," 9 Dec. 2019 Knight Inlet is a prime tourist spot in British Columbia, Canada for grizzly bear viewing. — Amanda Jackson, CNN, "Emaciated grizzly bears in Canada spark greater concerns over depleted salmon population," 3 Oct. 2019 The law, signed by President Richard Nixon in 1973, has been credited with helping prevent the extinction of more than 220 species, including bald eagles, grizzly bears and humpback whales. — Gene Johnson, San Diego Union-Tribune, "17 states sue feds over Endangered Species Act rules," 25 Sep. 2019 An old joke makes this point: Two hikers in the mountains encounter an obviously hungry grizzly bear. — James Trefil And Michael Summers, Smithsonian Magazine, "If Aliens Exist Elsewhere in the Universe, How Would They Behave?," 31 Dec. 2019 By contacting the facility and booking an encounter, guests can hang out with grizzly bears; feed lemurs, giraffes and parakeets; and meet a variety of marsupials. — Justin L. Mack, Indianapolis Star, "6 places in Indiana to hang out with wild animals this winter break," 17 Dec. 2019

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

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Last Updated

20 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Grizzly bear.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/grizzly%20bear. Accessed 21 January 2020.

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