Definition of WOLF (original) (raw)

often attributive

1

plural also wolf

a

: any of several large predatory canids (genus Canis) that are active mostly at night, live and hunt in packs, and resemble the related dogs

especially : [gray wolf](/dictionary/gray wolf)

Note: Wolves have long been viewed as threats to livestock and people resulting in significant worldwide declines in their numbers and range size due to persistent eradication efforts (as by hunting, trapping, and poisoning).

2

a(1)

: a fierce, rapacious, or destructive person

(2)

: a man forward, direct, and zealous in amatory attentions to women

b

: dire poverty : starvation

keep the wolf from the door

c

: the maggot of a warble fly

3

[German; from the howling sound]

a(1)

: dissonance in some chords on organs, pianos, or other instruments with fixed tones tuned by unequal temperament

(2)

: an instance of such dissonance

b

: a harshness due to faulty vibration in various tones in a bowed instrument

Examples of wolf in a Sentence

Noun

no sooner had the lottery winner's name been made public than the wolves with their investment schemes showed up on her doorstep Verb

don't wolf your food or you'll be sick

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 top five mascot finalists were coyotes, lions, owls, patriots and wolves. —Nicole Buss, Sacbee.com, 10 May 2026 The North American prairie is an ecological marvel, home to some of the nation’s most iconic creatures — bison, elk, wolves, pronghorn, prairie dogs and bald eagles. —Mary Ann Grossmann, Twin Cities, 7 May 2026

The actor Marisa Abela plays her in a binary state of panic and swagger by sobbing like a dejected child or slyly grinning like one who’s about to wolf down an ice-cream cake. —Spencer Kornhaber, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026 Patrons grab coladas and cortaditos to kick-start their mornings, while others wolf down breakfast platters for sustenance or arrive on their lunch breaks for pan con bistec or Cuban sandwiches, maybe a burger or palomilla steak. —Miami Herald, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for wolf

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English wulf; akin to Old High German wolf wolf, Latin lupus, Greek lykos

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1861, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler

The first known use of wolf was before the 12th century