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polar bear
noun
: a large creamy-white carnivorous bear (Ursus maritimus synonym Thalarctos maritimus) that inhabits arctic regions
Examples of polar bear in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Fat reserves help polar bears maintain their health.
—Olivia Munson, USA TODAY, 9 Apr. 2024
Come mid-January, the same heated tundra vehicles used for observing polar bears in autumn transform into aurora borealis-mobiles, with open sky decks for optimal viewing.
—Paul Rubio, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Mar. 2024
Instead, Snow Lilly the polar bear stood in at the zoo's 2018 ceremony.
—Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 2 Feb. 2024
And immediately Navarro, who hears the same phrase, her car runs directly into a real polar bear that is missing the same eye.
—Lauren Huff, EW.com, 14 Jan. 2024
Each strand of polar bear fur contains tiny air pockets that trap heat and prevent it from escaping.
—Tribune News Service, Hartford Courant, 7 Jan. 2024
Polar Pete, for example, is an 8-inch yellow penguin, holding a carrot and wearing white pullover hat adorned with a polar bear’s face.
—Maria Gracia Santillana Linares, Forbes, 30 Mar. 2024
For example, polar bears have a couple feet of height and a few hundred pounds on the average grizzly.
—Max G. Levy, WIRED, 6 Jan. 2024
An aerial view of the partially melting glaciers as a polar bear, one of the species most affected by climate change, walks on a glacier in Svalbard and Jan Mayen, on July 15, 2023.
—Simrin Singh, CBS News, 6 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'polar bear.' 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
1769, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near polar bear
Cite this Entry
“Polar bear.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/polar%20bear. Accessed 25 Apr. 2024.
Kids Definition
polar bear
noun
: a large creamy-white fish-eating bear that lives in arctic regions
More from Merriam-Webster on polar bear
Nglish: Translation of polar bear for Spanish Speakers
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about polar bear
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