polar bear

noun

: a large creamy-white carnivorous bear (Ursus maritimus synonym Thalarctos maritimus) that inhabits arctic regions

Illustration of polar bear

Illustration of polar bear

Examples of polar bear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The experiment found that the southeastern polar bears of Greenland have diverged genetically from their northeastern counterparts, who live in a colder part of the region and were separated from each other roughly 200 years ago. Briana Alvarado, ABC News, 11 Dec. 2025 Snowflake, the beloved polar bear at the Pittsburgh Zoo, celebrated her 30th birthday. Madeline Bartos, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025 Hey, pandas are bears and so are polar bears, right? Emma Specter, Vogue, 5 Dec. 2025 Readers of all ages will love visiting Velazquez’s dreamy version of New York City, where even a polar bear can execute a flawless arabesque. Caroline Carlson, Literary Hub, 1 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for polar bear

Word History

First Known Use

1769, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of polar bear was in 1769

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Polar bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polar%20bear. Accessed 20 Dec. 2025.

Kids Definition

polar bear

noun
: a large creamy-white fish-eating bear that lives in arctic regions

More from Merriam-Webster on polar bear

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!