pack animal

noun

: an animal used for carrying packs

Examples of pack animal in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Felt was also used to make warm, weatherproof clothing and footwear, and blankets for pack animals. Susan Brown, Smithsonian Magazine, 26 June 2023 The resulting pack animals measured 61 inches, or 15 hands, from the ground to the withers. Franz Lidz Samuel Aranda, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2023 The dogs surpassed all expectations, traveling faster than any pack animal could in the wintry terrain. David Reamer | Alaska History, Anchorage Daily News, 12 Mar. 2023 Of course, regular racetrackers found nothing unusual about this happening to a pack animal. John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 10 Dec. 2020 Being a pack animal means agreeing to a set of rules or expectations established by the pack leader, i.e. their human family. Cathy M. Rosenthal, ExpressNews.com, 28 Aug. 2020 The donkeys were also smaller than is expected of pack animals. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 17 Mar. 2020 Some towns have been practically cut off, forcing residents to rely on pack animals and occasional passing cars to get to the nearest city. Anatoly Kurmanaev, New York Times, 15 May 2020 Analysis also revealed stress on the bones that occurred when the donkeys were alive -- but not the kind of stress typically found in pack animals used for carrying heavy loads. Ashley Strickland, CNN, 17 Mar. 2020 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'pack animal.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1836, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of pack animal was in 1836

Dictionary Entries Near pack animal

Cite this Entry

“Pack animal.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pack%20animal. Accessed 25 Sep. 2023.

Kids Definition

pack animal

noun
: an animal (as a horse or donkey) used for carrying packs
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