plural synanthropes
Definition of synanthrope
: an undomesticated organism and especially an animal (such as a mouse, pigeon, or raccoon) that lives in close association with people and benefits from their surroundings and activities
Such birds were synanthropes … that is, born wild but inherently predisposed toward associating themselves with humans.— David Quammen, Wild Thoughts from Wild Places, 1998
Test Your Vocabulary
Odd Habits and Quirks
-
- Which of the following best describes an easily irritated person?

Test your vocabulary with our 10-question quiz!
TAKE THE QUIZ
A daily challenge for crossword fanatics.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share synanthrope
Time Traveler for synanthrope
The first known use of synanthrope was in 1948
See more words from the same year