grizzly bear

noun

: a very large brown bear (Ursus arctos) of northwestern North America

Note: The grizzly bear is the same species as the brown bear, but grizzly bear is typically used for the North American brown bear and not the European or Asian brown bear. In the U.S., grizzly bear is most often used for a brown bear of inland habitats (as in Montana and western Canada) that is typically smaller than coastal brown bears and usually has lighter-colored tips on the fur. The grizzly bear is often considered a subspecies (Ursus arctos horribilis) of the brown bear and, especially formerly, a separate species (Ursus horribilis).

The brown bears of Kodiak Island, the grizzly bears of the Rocky Mountains and interior Alaska, the European brown bear, all are now considered to be the same species, Ursus arctos, despite tremendous variation in color, size, and habits.

—Natural History

called also grizzly

Examples of grizzly bear in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

During her life, Grizzly 399 became an ambassador for the role that national parks play in protecting grizzly bears, writes Allison Michalski, Northern Rockies connectivity program manager for the National Parks Conservation Association, in a statement. —Alexa Robles-Gil, Smithsonian Magazine, 28 Oct. 2024

In 2024, including this incident, there have been 2 grizzly bear mortalities from vehicle strikes in the GYE. —Christina Shaw, Fox News, 24 Oct. 2024

The worker’s back is turned to a female grizzly bear creeping up just a few dozen feet away. —Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 21 Sep. 2024

Both black and grizzly bears call the national park home. —Phil Helsel, NBC News, 20 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1791, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

grizzly bear

noun

: a large powerful brown bear found from the lower 48 to Alaska