gray fox

noun

: a fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) with coarse gray hair and white underparts that occurs from southern Canada to northern South America

Examples of gray fox in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web The red foxes are more common in the north and west parts of the state and gray foxes in the Ozarks, according to the Missouri Department of Conservation. Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 22 Jan. 2024 Many people here have never seen a gray fox in the wild and might be surprised how many there are. Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Jan. 2024 Multiple people were bitten by a rabid gray fox in New York last week, authorities confirmed Wednesday. Amaris Encinas, USA TODAY, 15 June 2023 In a good year, Baker caught as many as 200 red foxes and gray foxes — not bad pocket money, even if not exactly enough to make a living. Fredrick Kunkle, Washington Post, 25 Mar. 2023 Central Oregon’s High Desert Museum has a new resident: an 8-month-old bobcat kitten. Visitors to the museum south of Bend will be able to see the male kitten, who does not have a name yet, in the museum’s atrium, where Gert the gray fox is kept. The Oregonian, oregonlive, 22 Apr. 2023 And, along with native cottonwoods, their roots stabilize river bank soils against erosion while their canopy fosters a lush understory of willows and herbs that provide habitat for bobcats, jackrabbits, javelinas, gray fox, coyote, mountain lions and rare species of reptiles and amphibians. Joan Meiners, The Arizona Republic, 16 Nov. 2022 Though the pieces vary in theme and style, the artists integrated hallmarks of Delaware into their designs, such as the state animal (the gray fox) and the state insect (ladybug), as well as such notable landscape features as the Mispillion River and the beach. Washington Post, 6 Nov. 2020 The gray fox was always first to arrive at the water trough, followed by skunks and the ringtail. Ernie Cowan, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Dec. 2022

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'gray fox.' 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

circa 1679, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of gray fox was circa 1679

Dictionary Entries Near gray fox

Cite this Entry

“Gray fox.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gray%20fox. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

gray fox

noun
: a gray-haired fox with white underparts that is found from southern Canada to northern South America

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